City Page Survey

Today In History...

   In  336 The first recorded celebration of Christmas takes place in Rome.

   In 1066 William the Conqueror is crowned king of England.

   In 1223 St. Francis of Assisi assembles one of the first Nativity scenes, in

           Greccio, Italy.

   In 1758 Halley's comet first sighted by Johann Georg Palitzsch.

   In 1776 General George Washington and his troops crosses the Delaware for a

           surprise attack against Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey.

   In 1868 Despite bitter opposition, President Andrew Johnson grants

           unconditional pardons to all persons involved in the Civil War.

   In 1926 Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan.

   In 1941 During World War II, Japan announces the surrender of the

           British-Canadian garrison at Hong Kong.

   In 1946 Comedian W.C. Fields dies in Pasadena, CA, at age 66.

   In 1963 Walt Disney's animated film "The Sword In The Stone" is released.

   In 1968 Apollo VIII astronaut Frank Borman reads from Genesis while orbiting

           the moon.

   In 1977 Actor/comedian Charlie Chaplin dies in Switzerland at age 88.

   In 1977 Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin meets in Egypt with Egyptian

           President Sadat.

   In 1986 More than 60 people are killed when a hijacked Iraqi jetliner

           crashed in Saudi Arabia. (About 40 other people survived the crash

           near the northern Saudi town of Arar.)

   In 1987 Authories recapture Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, who had escaped two

           days earlier from a federal prison, where she was serving a life

           sentence for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford.

   In 1989 5-time New York Yankees GM Billy Martin dies in a pickup truck

           accident at the age of 61.

   In 1989 Ousted Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, are

           executed following their overthrow in a popular uprising.

   In 1991 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev goes on television to announce

           his resignation as the eighth and final leader of a Communist

           superpower that had already gone out of existence.

   In 1993 Full-fledged Christmas celebrations returned to Bethlehem for the

           first time since the Palestinian uprising began 6 years earlier.

   In 1993 In London, an unidentified 59-year-old woman who'd been implanted

           with donated eggs gave birth to twins.

   In 1994 A Palestinian suicide bomber injures a dozen people at a Jerusalem

           bus stop.

   In 1995 Comedian, singer and actor Dean Martin dies of respiratory failure

           at age 78.

   In 1995 An ailing Pope John Paul II cut short his traditional Christmas

           greetings, telling crowds he was fighting to regain his health.

   In 1996 Peruvians pray outside the Japanese ambassador's residence, where

           leftist rebels held more than 100 hostages.

   In 1997 Richard Bliss, a field technician for Qualcomm Inc. accused of

           spying in Russia, arrives in San Diego after Russian authorities

           were persuaded to let him return home.

   In 1997 Jerry Seinfeld announces plans to end his highly successful NBC

           sitcom "Seinfeld" at the end of the season.

   In 1998 Seven days into their journey, British mogul Richard Branson,

           American millionaire Steve Fossett and Per Lindstrand of Sweden gave

           up their attempt to make the first nonstop round-the-world balloon

           light, ditching off Hawaii.

   In 2000 A fire in central China kills 309 people inside an unlicensed disco.

   In 2001 American forces in Afghanistan celebrate Christmas with carols,

           touch football and turkey dinners.

   In 2015 Merry Christmas!

Music Calendar...

   In 1818 "Silent Night" is performed for the first time, at the Church of

           St. Nikolaus in Oberndorff, Austria.

   In 1896 "Stars & Stripes Forever" is written by John Philip Sousa.

   In 1931 The Metropolitan Opera House in New York broadcast an entire opera

           ("Hansel and Gretel") over the radio for the first time.

   In 1948 "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)" by Spike Jones

           and the City Slickers is #1 on the charts.

   In 1954 Singer Joe Williams joins the Count Basie Orchestra.

   In 1958 Alan Freed's Christmas Rock & Roll Spectacular opens a 10-day run at

           the Loew's State Theater in Manhattan with 17 acts, including Bo

           Diddley, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Jackie Wilson, Frankie Avalon

           and the Everly Brothers.

   In 1959 Ringo Starr receives his first set of drums.

   In 1962 Ricky Nelson gives a diamond engagement ring to fiancee Kris Harmon

           at his parents home.

   In 1964 The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein gives a large rocking horse to

           John Lennon's son Julian for Christmas.

   In 1965 George Harrison proposes to Patti Boyd while driving to Christmas

           dinner in London.

   In 1965 "Lightnin' Strikes" by Lou Christie enters the U.S. top 40 chart.

   In 1965 "Over And Over" by the Dave Clark Five is #1 on the U.S. top 40

           chart.

   In 1967 Paul McCartney becomes engaged to Jane Asher, but the couple never

           marry.

   In 1969 16-year-old Robbie Bachman receives his first drum kit as a

           Christmas present. 3 years later, he joined brother Randy's group,

           Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

   In 1971 Simply Red's Mick Hucknall unwraps his first record player and 

           plays his first record "Sticky Fingers" by the Rolling Stones.

   In 1971 "Brand New Key" by Melanie hits #1 on the U.S. top 40 chart and

           stayed there for 3 weeks.

   In 1971 "Wild Life" by Paul McCartney & Wings enters the U.S. albums chart.

   In 1976 "More Than A Feeling" by Boston peaked at #5 on the U.S. top 40

           chart.

   In 1976 "Wings Over America" by Wings and "Hotel California" by the Eagles

           both enter the U.S. albums chart.

   In 1978 New York City's Apollo Theatre reopens with former amateur talent

           contestants Millie Jackson, the Manhattans, and Harold Melvin & the

           Blue Notes headlining.

   In 1981 Michael Jackson calls Paul McCartney and suggests they write and

           record "This Girl Is Mine."

   In 1982 "Hungry Like A Wolf" by Duran Duran enters the U.S. top 40 chart.

   In 1982 "Thriller" by Michael Jackson enters the U.S. albums chart.

   In 1990 James Brown is temporarily released from prison so he can perform a

           show for the troops headed for Operation Desert Shield.

   In 1993 "Hero" by Mariah Carey hits #1 on the U.S. top 40 chart and stayed

           there for 4 weeks.

   In 1995 The film "Four Rooms" featuring Madonna opens.

   In 1998 The Backstreet Boys, Lauryn Hill and Shania Twain are named to

           Entertainment Weekly's list of the year's top entertainers.

   In 1998 The Beatles' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is returned to the

           legendary walk following an absence of almost five years.

   In 2006 James Brown, the undeniable "Godfather of Soul," ill with pneumonia 

           dies from heart failure. He was 73.