December 29

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:

1845 – President James Polk signed legislation making Texas the 28th state of the United States.

1848 – President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House.

1851 – The first American YMCA opened in Boston, MA.

1862 – The bowling ball was invented.

1890 – The Seventh Cavalry massacred over 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee Creek, SD. This was the last major conflict between Indians and U.S. troops.

1891 – Thomas Edison patented the radio.

1937 – Babe Ruth returned to baseball as the new manager of the Class D, De Land Reds of the Florida State League. Ruth had retired from baseball in 1935.

1945 – Sheb Wooley recorded the first commercial record made in Nashville, TN.

1949 – KC2XAK of Bridgeport, CT, became the first ultrahigh frequency (UHF) television station to begin operating on a regular daily schedule.

1952 – Sonotone Corporation began selling the first transistorized hearing aid.

1966 – The Beatles started recording “Penny Lane” at Abbey Road Studios.

1967 – We were introduced to the furry, gentle, and slow moving Tribbles on the TV show “Star Trek”.

1972 – The last weekly issue of “LIFE” magazine hit the newsstands following 36 years of publication. The magazine later became a monthly publication.

1975 – A bomb exploded in the main terminal of New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 74.

1994 – Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes pleaded guilty to arson charges for setting fire to and destroying boyfriend Andre Rison’s $1 million mansion in Atlanta, GA.

1995 – The movie “Richard Holland’s Opus”, starry Richard Dreyfuss, premiered in theaters.

1999 – The Nasdaq composite index closed at 4,041.46. It was the first close above 4,000.

2010 – The NFL fined Brett Favre $50,000 for “failing to cooperate” with the investigation into allegations he sent inappropriate messages and lewd photos to former New York Jets game-day hostess Jenn Sterger. The league said Commissioner Roger Goodell “could not conclude” that Favre violated the league’s personal conduct policy based on the evidence that was available to him.

BIRTHDAYS:

Jon Voight – 87 years old (1938) – Actor and producer

Fred Hansen – 85 years old (1940) – Pole vaulter

Dorothy Morkis – 83 years old (1942) – Equestrian

Molly Bang – 82 years old (1943) – Author and illustrator

Paul Trible – 79 years old (1946) – Attorney, politician and academic administrator

Ted Danson – 78 years old (1947) – Actor and producer

Jacky Clark Chisholm – 77 years old (1948) – Gospel singer

Yvonne Elliman – 74 years old (1951) – Singer-songwriter and actress

Gelsey Kirkland – 73 years old (1952) – Ballerina and choreographer

Kate Schmidt – 72 years old (1953) – Javelin thrower and coach

Charlayne Woodard – 72 years old (1953) – Actress and playwright

Donald D. Hoffman – 70 years old (1955) – Quantitative psychologist and author

Katy Munger – 69 years old (1956) – Writer

Paul Rudnick – 68 years old (1957) – Author, playwright, and screenwriter

Nancy J. Currie-Gregg – 67 years old (1958) – Colonel, engineer, and astronaut

Patricia Clarkson – 66 years old (1959) – Actress

Martin Moran – 66 years old (1959) – Actor and author

Paula Poundstone – 66 years old (1959) – Comedian and author

Brian A. Hopkins – 65 years old (1960) – Author

Michael James Pappas – 65 years old (1960) – Politician

Leza Lowitz – 63 years old (1962) – Author

Devon White – 63 years old (1962) – Jamaican-American baseball player

Sean Payton – 62 years old (1963) – Football player and coach

Michael Cudlitz – 61 years old (1964) – Actor

Josh Harris – 61 years old (1964) – Investor and sports team owner

Dexter Holland – 60 years old (1965) – Musician, singer, songwriter, and biologist

John Newton – 60 years old (1965) – Actor

Jason Gould – 59 years old (1966) – Actor and singer

Jeff Luhnow – 59 years old (1966) – Businessman

Ashleigh Banfield – 58 years old (1967) – Canadian-American journalist

Chris Barnes – 58 years old (1967) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Lilly Wachowski – 58 years old (1967) – Director, screenwriter and producer

James Mouton – 57 years old (1968) – Baseball player

Jennifer Ehle – 56 years old (1969) – Actress

Scott Patterson – 56 years old (1969) – Financial journalist and author

Glen Phillips – 55 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Kevin Weisman – 55 years old (1970) – Actor

Mike Pesca – 54 years old (1971) – Radio journalist and podcaster

Margot Thien – 54 years old (1971) – Swimmer

Jason Kreis – 53 years old (1972) – Soccer player and manager

Leonor Varela – 53 years old (1972) – Chilean-American model and actress

Theo Epstein – 52 years old (1973) – Businessman

Jenny Lawson – 52 years old (1973) – Journalist and author

Asheru – 51 years old (1974) – Rapper and producer

Maria Dizzia – 51 years old (1974) – Actress

Mekhi Phifer – 51 years old (1974) – Actor

Richie Sexson – 51 years old (1974) – Baseball player and coach

Shawn Hatosy – 50 years old (1975) – Actor

Jaret Wright – 50 years old (1975) – Baseball player

Danny McBride – 49 years old (1976) – Actor, producer and screenwriter

Jimmy Journell – 48 years old (1977) – Baseball player

Katherine Moennig – 48 years old (1977) – Actress

Alexis Amore – 47 years old (1978) – Peruvian-American porn actress and director

LaToya London – 47 years old (1978) – Singer and actress

Angelo Taylor – 47 years old (1978) – Hurdler and sprinter

George Parros – 46 years old (1979) – Ice hockey player

Reihan Salam – 46 years old (1979) – Political commentator, columnist and author

Ariel Schrag – 46 years old (1979) – Cartoonist and screenwriter

Shaun Suisham – 44 years old (1981) – Football player

Alison Brie – 43 years old (1982) – Actress

Julia Wertz – 43 years old (1982) – Cartoonist, writer and urban explorer

Jessica Andrews – 42 years old (1983) – Singer and songwriter

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – 41 years old (1984) – Playwright

Alexa Ray Joel – 40 years old (1985) – Singer-songwriter

Derek Ryan – 39 years old (1986) – Ice hockey player

Juliana Huxtable – 38 years old (1987) – Artist

Eric Berry – 37 years old (1988) – Football player

Christen Press – 37 years old (1988) – Footballer

Jane Levy – 36 years old (1989) – Actress

Patrick Feeney – 34 years old (1991) – Sprinter

Myles Garrett – 30 years old (1995) – Football player

Ross Lynch – 30 years old (1995) – Singer and actor

Dylan Minnette – 29 years old (1996) – Actor, musician and singer

Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick – 27 years old (1998) – Actor

TODAY IS:

• International Cello Day: International Cello Day thrills music enthusiasts around the world! This special day commemorates the birth of Pablo Casals, a virtuoso whose skills reshaped cello music forever. Casals is famous for bringing the 'Bach Cello Suites' into the spotlight. Once underrated pieces, they now enjoy profound reverence in classical music. This day...
• National Pepper Pot Day: Pepper Pot Day, celebrated on December 29, is a flavorful occasion that honors a unique soup with roots in American history. This day pays tribute to a dish that warmed and nourished soldiers during the frigid winter at Valley Forge in 1777, famously known as "the soup that won the...
• Tick Tock Day: Work through your to-do list and finish any odd jobs so that you can leave your worries behind, and focus on the future.
• 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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