- 1799] "Happy Trails": George Washington dies from a throat infection at his home in Mount Vernon (VA) at 67 (12/14)...1963] Dinah Washington dies from a drug overdose at 39 (12/14)...1999] "Catch 22" author Joseph Heller passes away from a heart attack at 76 (12/12)...2002] Former Lovin' Spoonful guitarist Zal Yanovsky is the victim of a heart attack at 57 (12/13)...2006] Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, injured in a fall at a Rolling Stones concert in October, slips into a coma and dies at 83 (12/14)...2006] Actor Peter Boyle passes away from multiple myeloma and heart disease at 71 (12/12)...2007] Ike Turner overdoses on cocaine at 76 (12/12)...
- 1843] Scrooge sighting: Charles Dickens publishes the classic, "A Christmas Carol" (12/13)...
- 1896] The roots of Radio: Guglielmo Marconi gives the public the first demonstration of radio at London's Toynbee Hall. The following year he establishes the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company Ltd. in Chelmsford, England (12/12)...
- 1915] Debuted on this date: Francis Albert Sinatra is born in Hoboken (NJ) which would have made 'Old Blue Eyes' 93 today (12/12)...1925] The first motel, the "Motel Inn" opens in San Luis Obispo (CA) (12/12)...1946] Tide detergent is introduced (12/12)...1955] The Tappan Zee Bridge opens to traffic (12/14)...1977] "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta has its world premiere (12/14)...
- 1930] Ground rule double: Baseball changes the rule on balls bouncing into the stands in fair territory, from a home run to a double. One rule not changed is a ball hitting the head of an outfielder and going into the stands in fair territory. That's still a home run. Ask Jose Canseco (12/12)...
- 1975] Guilty as charged: Sara Jane Moore pleads guilty to an assassination attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford (12/12)...1989] Leona ("Queen of Mean") Helmsley is fined $7 million and sentenced to 4 years in prison for tax evasion (12/12)...2004] A jury in Redwood (CA) recommends the death penalty for Scott Peterson for the murders of his wife and unborn child (12/13). Peterson remains on death row at San Quentin...
- 1982] John Deere to the rescue: Mark Henderson uses a John Deere tractor to clear a spot in the snow for John Smith's 33-yard field goal, giving the Patriots a 3-0 win over the Miami Dolphins at Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough. This game became known as the "Snow Plow Game" (12/12)...
- 2000] Dubya wins: George W. Bush claims the presidency 36 days after Election Day when Al Gore concedes defeat (12/13)...
- 2003] Gotcha: Saddam Hussein is found hiding in a hole (12/13)...
- 2007] A bad report card: The Mitchell Report lists the names of 89 major league baseball players that presumably used anabolic steroids and human growth hormons. The biggest names mentioned are Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada (12/13)...For more on December 12 - 14: Click:
http://melphillipsnowandthen.com
