December 24th : History of Events, Birthdays, Deaths

December 24th Events in History
1997	1st time a Channukah candle is officially lit in Vatican City
1994	4 Moslem fundamentalists capture Air France pilot in Algiers
1992	President Bush pardons Caspar Weinberger in Iran-contra affair
1990	Expos trade Tim Raines to White Sox for Ivan Calderon and Barry Jones
1990	Saddam says Israel will be Iraq's 1st target
1989	Charles Taylor enters Liberia to unseat President Samuel K Doe
1989	Panama's dictator, Manual Noriega seeks asylum at Vatican embassy
1986	French hostage Aurel Cornea, held in Lebanon for 9 months, released
1986	Iran offensive against Iraqi islands of Shatt al-Arab
1984	Palace coup in Mauritania
1982	Chaminade, with a student body of only 850 students, beats #1 ranked Virginia 77-72 in a Honolulu holiday basketball classic
1981	Guardian Angels Curtis Sliwa and Lisa Evers marry
1981	U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1980	Americans remembered Iran hostages by shining lights for 417 seconds
1979	1st Ariane-rocket launched
1974	Cardinals' Lou Brock is named Sportsman of the Year
1973	Ferryboat capsized off coast of Equador, drowning 200
1971	Peruvian Airlines Electra crashes at headwaters of Amazon, killing all except Juliane Margaret Koepcke found 10 days later
1970	9 Jews are convicted in Leningrad of hijacking a plane
1970	Walt Disney's "Aristocats" is released
1968	Apollo 8 astronauts read passages from Book of Genesis
1968	WATU (now WAGT) TV channel 26 in Augusta, Georgia (CBS) begins broadcasting
1967	China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor PRC
1966	Joyful Noise closes at Mark Hellinger Theater New York City after 12 performances
1966	Luna 13 lands on Moon
1966	USAF C144 military charter crashes near Binh Thai Vietnam kills 129
1964	Shooting begins on "The Cage" the pilot for Star Trek
1963	Greek and Turks riot in Cyprus
1962	U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya U.S.S.R.
1961	Houston Oilers beat San Diego Chargers 10-3 in AFL championship game
1960	Dutch bishops question papacy values
1956	I Love Lucy Christmas show airs, never put in syndication
1956	Ferdinand de Lesseps statue blown up in Port Said Egypt
1954	Council for the Children Protection forms in Netherlands
1954	Laos gains its independence
1953	2 fast express trains crash head-on killing 103 (Czechoslovakia)
1953	KHOL (now KHGI) TV channel 13 in Kearney, NB (ABC) begins broadcasting
1953	KOA (now KCNC) TV channel 4 in Denver, CO (NBC) begins broadcasting
1953	Rene Coty elected President of France
1953	Wellington-Auckland (New Zealand) express train swept away in flood kills 166
1951	1st televised opera (Amahl and Night Visitor)
1951	United Kingdom of Libya gains independence from Italy via United Nations
1950	Cleveland Browns win NFL championship, beat LA 30-28
1948	1st U.S. house completely sunheated is occupied (Dover Massachusetts)
1948	Greek government disbands due to state of war, press censorship
1946	4th French republic established
1946	U.S. General MacNarney gives 800,000 "minor Nazi's" amnesty
1943	Franklin D. Roosevelt appoints General Eisenhower supreme commander of Allied forces
1943	Terence Rattigan's "While the Sun Shines," premieres in London
1942	1st powered flight of V-1 buzz bomb, Peenemunde, Germany
1942	Red army occupies German airports at Tasjinskaja and Morozowsk
1941	1st ships of Admiral Nagumo's Pearl Harbor fleet return to Japan
1937	Dutch government recognizes Italian king Emanuel III as emperor of Abyssinia
1936	1st radioactive isotope medicine administered, Berkeley, California
1935	Bradman scores 233 in 191 minutes, SA vs. Queensland, 28 fours 1 six
1934	Grimmett takes 9-180 for SA as Queensland make 430
1933	Paris express train derails and kills 160, injures 300 (France)
1932	Arturo Alessandri wins presidental election in Chile
1930	Bandung, Java: ir Sukarno 4 years jail sentenced
1930	F Garcia Lorca's "La Zapatera Prodigiosa," premieres in Madrid
1928	George Abbott Theater (Adelphi, 54 St) opens at 152 W 54th St. New York City
1927	Test Cricket debut of Walter Hammond, who scored 51 and took 5-36 vs. S Af
1924	1st radio transmission of NCRV in Netherlands
1924	Albania becomes a republic (ex-premier Ahmed Zogoe's coup)
1924	Richard Rodgers Theater (46th St. Chanin's) opens at 226 W 46th New York City
1924	School in Babb's Switch, Oklahoma catches fire, 36 die
1922	BBC sends 1st British radio play "Truth about Father Christmas"
1922	London Coloseum opens
1920	Enrico Caruso gives his last public performance (New York City)
1914	German plane drops bombs on Dover England
1912	Irving Fisher patents archiving system with index cards
1910	Luisa Tetrazzini sings to 250,000 people at Lotta's Fountain
1906	Reginald A Fessenden became 1st to broadcast music over radio (Mass)
1904	German SW Africa abolishes slavery of young children
1900	Herman Heijermans' "Hope of Blessing" premieres in Amsterdam
1898	Herman Heijermans' "Ghetto," premieres in Amsterdam
1894	Scheveningse fishing boats destroyed by storm
1894	Soccer team Achilles '94 forms in Axes
1893	Henry Ford completes his 1st useful gas motor
1889	Daniel Stover and William Hance patent bicycle with back pedal brake
1884	Austria-Hungary admits King Leopold II's Congo Free State
1874	Pope Pius IX proclaims a jubilee for 1875
1871	Giusseppi Verdi's "Aida" premieres in Cairo, at Suez canal opening
1865	Several Confederate veterans form Ku Klux Klan in Pulaski, Tn
1864	Battle of Gordonsville, Virginia
1860	Joseph Jefferson's "Rip Van Winkle," premieres in New York City
1851	Fire devastates Library of Congress in Wash, destroys 35,000 volumes
1851	U.S. Library of Congress catches fire; 35,000 books burn
1832	HMS Beagle anchors in Wigwam Bay at Cape Receiver
1818	Silent Night composed by Franz Joseph Gruber; 1st sung next day
1818	Franz Xaver Gruber composes "Silent Night"
1814	Treaty of Ghent (end of US-Britain's War of 1812) signed
1799	Jakobijns plot against Napoleon uncovered
1798	Russia and England sign Second anti-French Coalition
1724	Benjamin Franklin arrives in London
1715	Swedish troops occupy Norway
1651	John van Riebeeck departs to Cape of Good Hope
1593	Storm hits Texel: 40 ships hit, 500 killed
1568	Uprising of Morisco's in Granada
1565	Compromise of the Nobles closes against inquisition
1515	Thomas Wolsey appointed English Lord Chancellor
1476	400 Burgundy soldiers freeze to death during siege of Nancy
1294	Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani chosen as Pope Boniface VIII
1046	Pope Clement II, Suitger, elected
640	John IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope
December 24th Birthdays in History
1975	Natalie Ward, Australian softball shortstop/2nd baseman, Bronze Medal 1996 Olympics
1974	Ryan Seacrest, American Entertainer
1973	Eddie Pope, Greensboro, North Carolina, soccer defender, 1996 Olympics gold
1971	Tamir Bloom, New York City, fencer-epee 1996 Olympics
1970	Filmel Johnson, NFL defensive back for the Buffalo Bills
1970	Marian Smerciak, born in Martin, Czechoslovakia, hockey defenseman, Team Slovakia 1998
1970	Michael Batiste, NFL/WLAF defensive tackle, Cowboys, Frankfurt Galaxy
1970	Romeo Wouden, Dutch soccer player, Dordrecht '90, Heerenveen
1970	Will Oldham, American Musician
1969	Kenny "Damn" Kelly, Paterson, New Jersey, rapper, Riff-Judy had a Boyfriend
1969	Mark Millar, Scottish Writer
1968	Joe Scuderi, cricketer, South Australian all-rounder
1966	Deidrich Bader, Washington D.C., actor, Oswald-Drew Carey Show
1965	Erika von Heiland, Angeles City Phil, U.S. badminton player, 1992, 1996 Olympics
1965	Michael Haynes, NFL wide receiver, NO Saints, Atlanta Falcons
1965	Nancy Reno, Elmhurst, Illinois, WPVA volleyballer 1996 Olympics
1965	Winston Moss, NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks
1964	Elbert Shelley, NFL cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons
1964	Gary Muller, South Africa, tennis star
1964	Marcel van der Net, Dutch soccer player for the FC Utrecht
1964	Mark Valley, Odgensvurg, New York, actor, Days of Our Lives
1963	Mary Ramsey, singer, 10,000 Maniacs
1963	Timo Jutila, Tampere FIN, hockey defenseman, Team Finland
1961	Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani Politician
1960	Carol Vorderman, British Entertainer
1957	Ian Burden, S Yorks England, rock bassist, Human League-Only Human
1957	Hamid Karzai, born in Karz, Afghanistan, Pashtun of the Popalzai tribe, Sunni Muslim, politician, Independent Party, 12th President of Afghanistan
1956	Stephanie Hodge, comedian/actress, I Madman, Happily Ever After
1955	Anwar Khan, cricketer, bowled four overs for Pakistan 1979
1955	Clarence Gilyard, Jr., Moses Lake Wash, actor, Chips, Duck Factory
1951	Johnny Contardo, rocker, Sha Na Na-Shannon
1950	Peter te Bos, Dutch singer, Claw Boys Claw
1949	Cameron Seward, LPGA golfer
1946	John Akkerman, Dutch guitarist/composer, Focus-Can't Stand Noise
1946	Judy Tyler, born in Los Angeles, California, playmate, Jan 1966
1946	Jeff Sessions, American Politician
1945	Lemmy, Ian Kilminster, rocker, Hawkwind, Motorhead-Built for Speed
1945	Nicholas Meyer, director, Star Trek II Wrath of Khan
1944	Erhard Keller, born in West Germany, 500m speed skater, Gold Medal 1968, 1972 Olympics
1944	Mike Curb, Savannah, Georgia, singer, Mike Curb Congregation
1944	Johnny Isakson, American Politician
1943	Christiane Schmidtmer, Heidelberg Germany, actress, Ship of Fools
1943	Tatton Sykes, English baron/large landowner
1943	Tarja Halonen, born in Kallio, Finland, politician, lawyer, Social Democratic Party, first female President of Finland
1940	Anthony Fauci, U.S. health official
1940	Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner, 1989-
1938	Ralp Inbar, Dutch TV host, Banana Split
1934	Stjepan Mesic, Croation Statesman
1932	Colin Cowdrey, cricketer, in India England batsman, 1st to 100 Tests
1932	Colin Cowdrey, English cricket player
1932	Cynthia Payne, British Celebrity
1931	Jill Bennett, Penang Malay, actress, Lady Jane, Concrete Jungle
1931	Mauricio Kagel, Argentina/German composer
1930	Robert Joffrey, Abdullah Jaffa Anver Bey Khan, U.S., dancer
1929	Mary Higgins Clark, born in Bronx, New York, author, Cry in the Night, Stillwatch
1929	Noel Da Costa, composer
1927	Teresa Stich-Randall, U.S. soprano, Vienna State Opera
1926	Ronald Draper, cricketer, South African batsman vs. Australia 1949-50
1924	Roy Miller, cricketer, WI all-rounder in one Test 1953, 23 and 0-28
1924	Willem Drees, economist/Dutch politician, DS'70
1924	[Irving] Lee Dorsey, New Orleans, vocalist, Working in the Coal Mines
1923	Wilton S Mkwayi, South African ANC leader
1922	Ava Gardner, born in Grabtown, North Carolina, actress, On the Beach, Night of the Iguana
1921	Bill Dudley, NFL halfback, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington
1921	Gerard Thomas Victory, composer
1921	Gerard Victory, composer
1920	Dave Bartholomew, Louisiana, jazz artist/songwriter, Blueberry Hill
1914	Dorothy Hyson, actress, Ghoul, Spare a Copper, Sing as We Go
1914	Guus Verstraete Sr, August de Graef, Dutch actor/dir, Black Magic
1913	Karl Michael Komma, composer
1913	Ad Reinhardt, American Artist
1911	Eric Briault, educationalist
1911	Malcolm MacEwen, writer
1910	Betty Ann Davies, born in London, England, actress, Tough Guy
1910	Fritz [Reuter] Leiber, Jr., U.S., sci-fi author, Bazaar of the Bizarre
1910	Mitchell Ayres, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, orchestra leader, Hollywood Palace
1909	Adam Popovich, composer
1909	Adam Rapacki, Polish minister of Foreign Affairs, 1956-68
1907	I[sidore] F[einstein] Stone, U.S. journalist, IF Stone's Weekly
1907	I. F. Stone, American Journalist
1906	Franz Waxman, Konigshutte, Germany, composer, Day at the Races
1906	John Walker, museum director
1905	Anna "Ans" van Dike, "the Young", Jewish nazi collaborator
1905	Howard Hughes, reclusive billionaire, Hughes Aircraft, inventor
1904	Daniel K Womack, singer/guitarist
1904	Herbert D Riley, U.S. Vice-Admiral, WW II, Guadalcanal, Okinawa
1903	Joseph Cornell, American Sculptor
1894	Georges Guynemer, French WW I pilot
1893	Carl Brisson, Copenhagen Denmark, actor, Murder at the Vanities
1893	Ruth Chatterton, U.S. actress, Madame X, Sarah and Son
1893	Harry Warren, American Composer
1889	Vladimir Sokoloff, born in Moscow, Russia, actor, Road to Morocco
1887	Louis Jouvet, Crozon France, actor, Volpone, Topaze, La Marseillaise
1886	Michael Curtiz, Hungarian Director
1885	Arthur Dolphin, cricketer, Yorkshire and England keeper, later Test ump
1881	Bronislaw Zygmunt Szulc, composer
1881	Charles Wakefield Cadman, composer
1881	Juan Ramon Jimenez, Spain, poet, Distant Gardens, Nobel 1956
1879	Stanislav Pylypovych Lyudkevych, composer
1871	Henri Stroethoff, Dutch actor, A Chique Little Boy
1870	Rosario Scalero, composer
1869	Henriette Georgia Roland Holst-van der Schalk, Dutch poet, Women in Forest
1868	Emanuel Lasker, Germany, world chess champion, 1894-21
1867	Manuel de Oliveira Lima, Brazilian historian/diplomat
1867	Tevfik Fikret, Turkish poet, Servet-i Funun, Sis
1859	Roman Statkowski, composer
1850	Brandon Thomas, British Actor
1837	Sissi, Emperor of Austria
1829	Benjamin Ipavec, composer
1829	Jose Rogel, composer
1826	Ignacy Krzyzanowski, composer
1824	Peter Cornelius, composer
1822	Charles Hermite, French mathematician, E is Transcendent
1822	Matthew Arnold, England, poet and critic, Dover Beach
1818	James Prescott Joule, physicist, discovered conservation of energy
1818	Eliza Cook, English Poet
1813	Henry Wellington Greatorex, composer
1812	Henry Russell, composer
1809	Christopher "Kit" Carson, Kentucky, Union Brigadier-General/indian fighter
1798	Adam B Mickiewicz, Poland, national poet, Pan Tadeusz
1791	A Eugene Scribe, French dramatist, Bertrand et Raton
1773	Joseph Wolfl, composer
1761	Selam III, poet/composer/sultan of Turkey, 1789-1808
1754	George Crabbe, Aldeburgh England, poet, Everlasting Mercy
1745	Benjamin Rush, Byberry, Pennsylvania, physician, general and signer, Declaration of Independence
1726	Johann Ernst Hartmann, composer
1719	Johann Christoph Altnikol, composer
1716	Patrice F earl De Neny, South Netherlands chairman of Secret Council
1714	Rainieri De Calzabigi, Italian's literary, 1st European Lottery
1698	William Warburton, English Critic
1689	French van Mieris "the Young", Dutch painter/historian
1679	Domenico Natale Sarro, composer
1653	Georg Motz, composer
1564	Abraham C Bloemaert, painter/cartoonist/engraver
1491	Saint Ignatius, Spanish Saint
1167	John "without a land", king of England, 1199-1216
December 24th Deaths in History
2004	Johnny Oates, American Athlete
2001	Harvey Martin, American Athlete
1997	Alan Fluck, musical educationalist, dies at 69
1997	Anthea Joseph, music producer, dies at 57
1997	James Komack, producer (Courtship of Eddie's Father), dies at 67
1997	Toshiro Mifune, Japanese actor (Shogun), dies at 77
1996	Edward Leadbitter, politician, dies at 77
1996	Nguyen Huu Tho, President of Vietnam (1980-81), dies
1996	Peter Dormer, arts writer, dies at 47
1995	Geoffrey Pinnington, journalist, dies at 76
1995	Harry McLevy, trade unionist, dies at 59
1994	Jimmy Buddy Lee Land Ace, singer, dies at 57
1994	John Eastburn Boswell, medievalist, dies at 47
1994	John James Osborne, playwright, dies at 65
1994	John Keith Wright, English Assistant Secretary of State (1971-84), dies at 66
1994	John Osborne, English playwright (Entertainer, Luther), dies at 65
1994	Julie Haydon, Donella Donaldson, U.S. actress (Scoundrel), dies at 84
1994	Louise H "Lous" Hensen, actress (Uncle Wanja, Charlotte), dies at 74
1994	Nathan I. Daniel, inventor (Guitars), dies at 82
1994	Rossano Brazzi, It resistance fight/actor (Final Justice), dies at 78
1993	Alexander Mackendrick, British/US director (Lady Killers), dies at 81
1993	Norman Vincent Peale, Reverend, 'Power of Positive Thinking', dies at 95
1993	Yen Chia-kan, PM/President of Taiwan (1963-72, 75-78), dies
1992	Abdulkadir Widjojoatmodjo, Java diplomat, dies
1992	Pierre Culliford [Peyo], Belgian cartoonist (Smurfs), dies at 64
1991	Walter Hudson, 1,025 lb man, dies at 46
1987	John M "Joop" de Uyl, Dutch social-dem premier (1973-77), dies at 68
1986	Gardner F[rancis] Fox, author (Kothar-Barbarian Swordsman), dies at 75
1984	Ian Hendry, actor (Assassin, Get Carter, Repulsion), dies at 53
1984	Peter Lawford, actor (Thin Man), dies of cardiac arrest at 61
1982	Louis Aragon, French poet (Pour un Realisme Socialiste), dies at 85
1980	Alec Lafayette Chew Wilder, composer, dies at 73
1980	Karl Donitz, German great admiral/Fuhrer (1945), dies at 89
1979	Dirk Uipko Stikker, Dutch CEO (Heineken)/Secretary-General NATO, dies at 82
1979	Rudi [Rudolf] Dutschke, German student leader, dies at 39
1977	Harriet Freezer, Dutch journalist/author, dies at 66
1976	Victor Stanitsin, actor (War and Peace, Jubilee), dies at 79
1975	Bernard Herrmann, U.S. movie composer, dies at 64
1975	Otto AP Furst von Bismarck-Schonhausen, German diplomat, dies at 78
1974	Tilly Losch, actress (Duel in the Sun, Good Earth), dies at 70
1972	Charles Atlas, bodybuilder, dies at 79
1966	Gaspar Cassado Moreu, composer, dies at 69
1961	Guy de Lioncourt, composer, dies at 76
1959	William Cameron Forbes, American Diplomat
1957	Norma Talmadge, U.S. actress (sign on bay), dies at 60
1955	Nana Bryant, actress (Mrs Nestor-Our Miss Brooks), dies at 67
1955	Carl Ramsauer, research physicist, professor of physics, discovered Ramsauer-Townsend effect, dies in Berlin, Germany
1952	Henry A "Hans" Kramers, Dutch theoretical physicist, dies at 58
1945	Francisco Pujol, composer, dies at 67
1944	Joseph Gustav Mraczek, composer, dies at 66
1942	Friedrich Klose, composer, dies at 80
1942	Jean LXF Darlan, French admiral, murdered by gaullists
1942	K Balmont, writer, dies at 75
1935	Alban Maria Johannes Berg, composer, dies at 50
1935	Alban Berg, Austrian Composer
1932	Eyvind Alnaes, composer, dies at 60
1930	Eduard David, German minister (constitution of Weimar), dies at 67
1930	Oskar Nedbal, composer, dies at 56
1914	John Muir, American Environmentalist
1909	Nicolaas G Pierson, director Suriname/Dutch Bank, dies at 80
1908	Francois-Auguste Gevaert, Belgian musicologist/composer, dies at 80
1907	Isidor Feinstein "Izzy" Stone, journalist (IF Stone's Weekly), dies
1904	Juliaan Dillens, Flemish sculptor, dies at 55
1898	Eugeniusz Pankiewicz, composer, dies at 41
1889	Charles Mackay, poet, writer, journalist, songwriter, wrote for the Morning Chronicle, Illustrated London News, wrote book 'Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds', 1841, wrote popular song 'Cheer, Boys, Cheer', dies
1885	Louis-Prosper Gachard, Belgian historian, dies at 85
1869	Edwin M[cMasters] Stanton, U.S. Secretary of War 1861 - 1865, dies at 55
1869	Edwin M. Stanton, American Lawyer
1863	W M Thackeray, writer, dies at 52
1863	William Makepeace Thackeray, English Novelist
1862	Joseph Funk, composer, dies at 84
1823	Philipp Christoph Kayser, composer, dies at 68
1707	Noel Coypel, French painter, dies at 78
1660	Mary I Henriette Stuart, queen of England, dies at 29
1548	Maximilian of Egmond, Dutch count/stadholder of Frisia, dies
1541	Andreas R Bodenstein von Carlstadt, radical Lutheran, dies at about 61
1524	Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer/viceroy of Cochin, dies at about 55
1453	John Dunstable, English composer, dies
1380	John von Neumarkt, German bishop/Chancellor Karel IV, dies
1069	Godfried II, with the Beard, duke of Neder-Lutherans, dies

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