A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1799 – Four thousand people attended George Washington’s funeral.
1865 – James H. Mason patented the coffee percolator.
1898 – Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium.
1903 – An extinguished kerosene warning light at Comstock Park resulted in two Pere Marquette trains colliding near Grand Rapids, MI. Twenty-two people were killed and 30 injured in the passenger train wreck.
1919 – Babe Ruth, of the Boston Red Sox, was sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition.
1933 – FM radio was patented.
1933 – The Nissan Motor Company was launched in Tokyo, Japan.
1941 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
1963 – The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Saw Her Standing There” were released in the United States, which marked the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level.
1973 – The movie “The Exorcist”, starring Linda Blair, premiered in theaters.
1982 – The Man of the Year in “TIME” magazine was a computer. It was the first time a non-human received the honors.
1986 – TV’s “Search for Tomorrow” aired for the last time on CBS. The show had been on the air for 35 years.
1996 – Jon Benet Ramsey was found dead in her Colorado home.
2002 – Andrew J. Whittaker Jr. of West Virginia claimed his $314.9 million Powerball jackpot ($113.4 million after taxes).
2002 – The first cloned human baby was born.
2004 – Under the Indian Ocean, a 9.1-9.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Sumatra and sent 500 mph waves across the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The tsunami killed at least 283,000 people in a dozen countries, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Sumatra, Thailand and India.
2006 – The 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, died at age 93 from complications due to pneumonia.
BIRTHDAYS:
Martin Cooper – 97 years old (1928) – Engineer, invented the mobile phone
Catherine Coulter – 83 years old (1942) – Author
Gray Davis – 83 years old (1942) – Captain, lawyer, and politician, 37th Governor of California
William Ayers – 81 years old (1944) – Academic and activist
John Walsh – 80 years old (1945) – Television host, producer, and activist, created America's Most Wanted
Alan Frumin – 79 years old (1946) – Lawyer and politician
James T. Conway – 78 years old (1947) – General
Carlton Fisk – 78 years old (1947) – Baseball player
Richard Levis McCormick – 78 years old (1947) – Historian and academic
Candy Crowley – 77 years old (1948) – Journalist
Ozzie Smith – 71 years old (1954) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Evan Bayh – 70 years old (1955) – Lawyer and politician, 46th Governor of Indiana
David Sedaris – 69 years old (1956) – Comedian, author, and radio host
Keith Martin Ball – 65 years old (1960) – Mathematician and academic
Lars Ulrich – 62 years old (1963) – Danish-American drummer, songwriter, and producer
Elizabeth Kostova – 61 years old (1964) – Author
Jay Farrar – 59 years old (1966) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Tim Legler – 59 years old (1966) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Matt Zoller Seitz – 57 years old (1968) – Film critic and author
James Mercer – 55 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Jared Leto – 54 years old (1971) – Actor and musician
Tatiana Sorokko – 54 years old (1971) – Russian-American model and journalist
Joshua John Miller – 51 years old (1974) – Actor, director, and screenwriter
Chris Daughtry – 46 years old (1979) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Todd Dunivant – 45 years old (1980) – Soccer player
Kenneth Darby – 43 years old (1982) – Football player
Alexander Wang – 42 years old (1983) – Fashion designer
Joe Alexander – 39 years old (1986) – American-Israeli basketball player
Cory Jefferson – 35 years old (1990) – Basketball player
Brandon Scherff – 34 years old (1991) – Football player
Eden Sher – 34 years old (1991) – Actress
Trevor Siemian – 34 years old (1991) – Football player
TODAY IS:
- National Thank You Note Day: Taking a moment to express gratitude with a handwritten message, a simple gesture that lets others know you appreciate them.
- National Candy Cane Day: Get hooked on these minty confectionery, sample different flavors or use them to enhance other sweet treats like hot chocolate and cookies.
- National Whiner’s Day: With a positive attitude, every challenge is an opportunity to grow! Life's too short to waste it complaining.
- St. Stephen’s Day: St. Stephen's Day is a holiday celebrated with joy and warmth in many countries. People come together to honor St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr whose acts of kindness and bravery are remembered on this special day. Communities hold feasts, gatherings, and charitable activities, spreading a spirit of generosity and...
- Boxing Day: After the holiday rush, use this time to unwind, bond with family and friends, indulge in leftovers, or hit the stores for discounts.
- Zagreb Advent: Zagreb Advent is a magical celebration that transforms Croatia's capital into a winter wonderland. The streets light up with festive decorations, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Wooden stalls filled with handmade crafts and delicious treats line the squares, and the air is filled with the scent of mulled wine and...
- Kwanzaa: Uniting in cultural richness, illuminating principles like unity, purpose, and creativity through vibrant rituals and meaningful gatherings.
- Christmas Bird Count Week: Christmas Bird Count Week is exciting for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers. During this week, thousands of volunteers across multiple countries joined forces to count and document bird species. This event is fun and crucial for gathering important data about bird populations. The observations help scientists track bird numbers and...
- Blue Christmas: While most people are at home opening presents, emergency workers are on duty, ensuring the safety of their communities over the holidays.
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
