Category: Articles

Kwanzaa – History Traditions and More December 26th to January 1st

Kwanzaa

First Fruits

Kwanzaa is a time for families and communities to come together to remember the past and to celebrate African American culture.

Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. The seven principles which form its core were drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent. These principles are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). Kwanzaa gets its name from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” and is rooted in first fruit celebrations which are found in cultures throughout Africa both in ancient and modern times.

The History of Kwanzaa…

 

Click here to read the rest of this article and to watch videos from Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

December 24th Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1565 Compromise of the Nobles in Habsburg Netherlands closes against inquisition

1814 Treaty of Ghent signed, ending the War of 1812 between the United States, the United Kingdom and their allies

1936 1st radioactive isotope medicine administered in Berkeley, California

1943 US President FDR appoints General Eisenhower Supreme Commander of the Allied forces

Today’s Historical Events

563 The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by earthquakes.

640 John IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1046 Pope Clement II, [Suitger] elected

1294 Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani chosen as Pope Boniface VIII

1476 400 Burgundian soldiers freeze to death during siege of Nancy

1515 Thomas Wolsey appointed Lord Chancellor of England

1565 Compromise of the Nobles in Habsburg Netherlands closes against inquisition

1568 Uprising of Moriscos in Granada

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1860 Actor Joseph Jefferson’s dramatization of “Rip Van Winkle” premieres in NYC

1922 BBC broadcasts first British radio play “The Truth about Father Christmas”

1951 1st opera commissioned for television – “Amahl and the Night Visitors” by Gian Carlo Menotti premieres on NBC with the NBC Opera Theater

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

1968 WATU (now WAGT) TV channel 26 in Augusta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting

1970 Walt Disney releases animated musical “The Aristocats” featuring voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Sterling Holloway, and Scatman Crothers

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1818 Christmas carol “Silent Night” composed by Franz Xaver Gruber is first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria

1871 Giusseppi Verdi’s “Aida” opera premieres in Cairo, Egypt

1906 Reginald Fessenden becoomes 1st to broadcast music over radio (disputed)

1920 Enrico Caruso gives his last public performance, with the Metropolitan Opera in NYC

1966 Oscar Brand and Paul Nassau’s musical “A Joyful Noise”, starring John Raitt, closes at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC, after 12 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1889 Daniel Stover & William Hance patent bicycle with back pedal brake

1921 Ottawa’s Harry Broadbent scores in 10-0 Senators blowout of the Montreal Canadiens; first in 16-game NHL record goal-scoring streak; Charlie Simmer’s 13 game streak (1979) is considered modern-day record

1927 Test Cricket debut of Walter Hammond, who scored 51 & took 5-36 v S Af

1950 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Stadium: Cleveland Browns beat LA Rams, 30-28; Cleveland has 5 interceptions, Rams 1

1961 AFL Championship, Balboa Stadium, San Diego: Houston Oilers beat San Diego Chargers 10-3; Billy Cannon scores game’s only TD

1968 Ballon d’Or: Manchester United’s winger George Best wins award for best European football player ahead of teammate Bobby Charlton and Red Star Belgrade winger Dragan Džajić; first Northern Irish national to win the award

1969 Curt Flood writes to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn refusing to accept the Cardinals’ right to deal him and in favor of free agency [1]

1974 MLB St Louis Cardinals Lou Brock is named Sportsman of the Year

Where did the idea of Santa Claus come from?

Santa Claus—otherwise known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle—has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve, but his story stretches all the way back to the 3rd century, when Saint Nicholas walked the earth and became the patron saint of children. Find out more about the history of Santa Claus from his earliest origins to the shopping mall Santas of today, and discover how two New Yorkers—Clement Clark Moore and Thomas Nast—were major influences on the Santa Claus millions of children wait for each Christmas Eve.

The Legend of St. Nicholas: The Real Santa Claus

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around A.D. 280 in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is the time he saved three poor sisters from… Click here to read more of this article on history.com

CONTENTS

The Legend of St. Nicholas: The Real Santa Claus

Sinter Klaas Comes to New York

Shopping Mall Santas

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Santa Claus Around the World 

Christmas Traditions in the United States

The Ninth Reindeer, Rudolph

In Keeping With Honoring Other Spiritual Paths Holidays – History of Christmas

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25—Christmas Day—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

WATCH: Christmas Documentaries on HISTORY Vault

How Did Christmas Start?

The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until… Click here to read the rest of this article on history.com

CONTENTS

How Did Christmas Start?

Saturnalia and Christmas 

Is Christmas Really the Day Jesus Was Born?

When Christmas Was Cancelled

Washington Irving Reinvents Christmas in America

‘A Christmas Carol’

Who Invented Santa Claus?

Christmas Facts

December 23 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

962 Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under future Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo, recovering the tattered tunic of John the Baptist

1688 King James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch flees to France from William of Orange

1783 US General George Washington resigns his military commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Army to Congress

1888 Vincent van Gogh cuts off his left ear with a razor, after argument with fellow painter Paul Gauguin, and sends to a prostitute for safe keeping

1920 Government of Ireland Act / Home Rule Act passed partitioning Ireland

1954 The first human kidney transplant is performed by Dr. Joseph E. Murray at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts

Today’s Historical Events

438 The Theodosian Code of Roman laws proclaimed in the Western Empire (first law reforms since 295)

619 Boniface V begins his reign as Catholic Pope

962 Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under future Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo, recovering the tattered tunic of John the Baptist

1482 The Peace of Atrecht (now Arras) concluded between Louis XI of France and Maximilian of Austria, ending the War of the Burgundian Succession

1493 Georg Alt’s German translation of Hartmann Schedel’s Nuremberg Chronicle is published.

1588 “The Day of the Dagger” Henry, Duke of Guise, leader of the Catholic League is assassinated by the bodyguards of King Henry III at the Château de Blois

1620 French Huguenots declare war on King Louis XIII

1672 Giovanni Cassini discovers Rhea, a satellite of Saturn

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1911 Frank Wedekind‘s play “Oaha, die Satire der Satire” premieres in Munich

1924 German silent film classic “The Last Laugh” directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Emil Jannings is released

1928 NBC sets up a permanent, coast-to-coast radio network

1930 Bette Davis arrives in Hollywood under contract to Universal Studios

1938 Margaret Hamilton‘s costume catches fire while filming “The Wizard of Oz”

1951 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game

1961 KICU TV channel 43 in Visalia-Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting

1966 Britain’s rock TV show “Ready Steady Go” last program

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1893 Opera “Hansel und Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck and his sister Adelheid Wette premieres in Weimar, conducted by Richard Strauss

1911 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari‘s opera “I Gioielli Della Madonna” premieres at the Kurfürstenoper in Berlin, Germany, sung in German as “Der Schmuck der Madonna”

1915 Jerome Kern and Schuyler Greene’s musical farce “Very Good Eddie” premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 341 performances

1943 Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel & Gretel” becomes 1st complete opera to be telecast (WGRB, Schenectady, New York)

1948 “Cinderella” the first full-length ballet by Frederick Ashton with music by Sergei Prokofiev is first presented by Sadler’s Wells Ballet at Covent Garden, London

1958 Musical revue “Party with Comden & Green” opens at John Golden Yheater, NYC; runs for 38 performances

1974 Dmitri Shostakovich‘ son cycle “Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti” premieres in Leningrad

1974 Revival of Ray Henderson, B.G. DeSylva, and Lew Brown’s musical “Good News” opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 16 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1866 First yacht race across the Atlantic won by the schooner Henrietta owned by Gordon Bennett of New York, first to reach Bishop Rock in the Scilly Isles after racing from NY

1923 Yankees pitcher Carl Mays sold to Reds for $85,000

1933 Montreal Canadiens center Howie Morenz scores in 3-0 win v Detroit Red Wings; his NHL record 249th career goal

1951 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game

1953 Dodgers 2nd baseman Jim Gilliam wins NL Rookie of Year

1957 Test cricket debut for all-time great Australian wicketkeeper Wally Grout and future captain and coach Bobby Simpson, 1st Test v South Africa in Johannesburg

1969 Ballon d’Or: Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera wins award for best European football player ahead of Cagliari forward Luigi Riva and Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller

1972 “Immaculate Reception” Steelers turns around a 7-6 defeat with a last second touchdown reception against Raiders to win 13-7

December 22 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1790 Supposedly impenetrable Turkish fortress of Izmail stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92)

1877 Thomas Edison‘s Phonograph is announced by Scientific American

1885 Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan

1989 After 23 years of dictatorial rule, Romania ousts Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu

1990 Lech Wałęsa sworn in as Poland’s 1st popularly elected president

2010 Repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy”, a 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the US military, signed into law by President Barack Obama

Today’s Historical Events

401 St. Innocent I begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1135 Norman nobles recognize Stefanus van Blois as English king

1216 Pope Honorius III delegates decree “Religiosam vitam eligentibus”

1465 Peace of St Truiden: Louis van Bourbon becomes bishop of Liège

1536 English scholar Reginald Pole appointed cardinal

1590 Army of Moroccan Pasha Ahmad al-Mansur begins its epic 135 day crossing of the Saharan desert on his way to defeat the Songhai Empire

1596 Ferryboat Meuniers crashes in Paris, 150 die

1642 Pope Urbanus VIII publishes decree In eminente

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1932 “The Mummy” directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff is released in the US – 1st Mummy horror film

1948 KPIX TV channel 5 in San Francisco, California (CBS) begins broadcasting

1952 WSBA (now WPMT) TV channel 43 in York, PA (IND) begins broadcasting

1957 KWRB (now KFNE) TV channel 10 in Lander-Riverton, WY (ABC) begins

1964 American comedian Lenny Bruce is convicted of obscenity

1965 “Doctor Zhivago” based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie premieres in NYC

1966 WCVW TV channel 57 in Richmond, VA (PBS) begins broadcasting

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1808 Beethoven‘s Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6, Choral Fantasy and Piano Concerto No. 4 (featuring the composer as soloist) premiere at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria

1894 Claude Debussy‘s first orchestral masterpiece “Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune” premieres in Paris

1946 “Bal Negre” closes at Belasco Theater NYC after 54 performances

1956 “New Faces of 1956” closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 221 performances

1958 “Chipmunk Song” reaches #1

1958 “Whoop-Up” opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 56 performances

1976 “Your Arm’s Too Short…” opens at Lyceum NYC for 429 performances

1976 East Germany grants rock singer Nina Hagen her request to leave the country, after refusing her stepfather re-entry

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1877 “American Bicycling Journal” begins publishing (Boston, Mass)

1888 Heavyweight boxing champ John L. Sullivan challenges Jake Kilrain

1894 United States Golf Association forms in New York

1915 Organized baseball and Federal League sign a peace treaty at Cincinnati; Federal Baseball League dissolves

1917 In the NHL’s first official week of play, 3 players score hat tricks in the same game, for the same team; Corb Denneny, Reg Noble, & Harry Meeking each score 3 for the Toronto Arenas in an 11-4 win over the Ottawa Senators

1923 Bill Ponsford & Edgar Mayne make 456 opening stand for Vict

1924 Babe Dye of NHL’s Toronto St Patricks scores 5 goals beat Bruins 10-2

1941 1942 NFL Draft: Bill Dudley from University of Virginia first pick by Pittsburgh Steelers

Some Pet Tips For This Holiday Season

Lady Beltane has worked with canines for 50 years as a groomer, obedience and law enforcement trainers, show dog handler and mom to many temporary but only a few permanent ones. She also had a cat for 18 years. Lady Beltane got certified veterinarian assistant in 2008. She specialized in canine nutrition and midwifery. Lady Beltane learned to train dogs the old fashion way of being an apprentice for 3 years than was over seen for another 2 years. So, she is not just pulling ideas out of thin air she has done the legwork to be able to bring you these tips. She will be posting some tips every Sunday until after the mainstream New Year.

  1. Do not feed any 4-legged pet grapes pealed or not
  2. Do not feed a pet any citrus fruit whether you take the membrane off or not
  3.  Do not let the eat onions or chocolate as both can be deadly to our beloved pets
  4. Do not let the dog in the room when decorating your Yule tree as they may try to chase and bite the lights as you put them up, eat garland or tinsels both of these usually get caught in the intestines and have to be surgically removed.
  5. Do not leave a Poinsettia plant where a human child or any pets can reach it as both the leaves and the little white balls are very poison.
  6. While unwrapping gifts again make sure all pets are safely out of the room as cats will stalk and try to eat the paper and even some of the toys, this goes for dogs also, but they will also try to eat those pesky plastic or wire things that hold a toy in place in its box.
  7. If you are going to get someone a puppy, kitten, or another type of mammal for Yule I suggest you get it a couple of days after the extended family has left, all garbage from presents and food are safely in the trash bin outside. A new animal is a lot of work, and they can be scared easily and it doesn’t need to many different people outside of the nuclear family handling it for a few weeks. The reason for not getting the new pet a head of all the commotion of celebrating Yule is the animal may get forgotten or accidentally injured while their humans celebrate.

Grandma Got Run Over By A Broomstick

Grandma Got Run Over By A Broomstick

Author Unknown

Grandma got ran over by a broomstick
Walking home from our house Yule Eve.
Now you can say there’s no such thing as witch’s.
But as for me and grandpa, we believe.

She’d consumed too many spirits.
And we begged her not to go.
But she’d forgot her Belladonna,
So she sacheted out the door, we didn’t know.

When they found her the next morning
At the scene of the attack.
She had bristles on her forehead,
And incriminating brush marks on her back.

Grandma got ran over by a broomstick.
Walking home from our house Yule Eve..
You can say there’s no such thing as witch’s,
But as for me and grandpa, we believe.

Now we’re all so proud of grandpa.
He’s been taking it so well.
See him in there watching wrestling,
Drinking wine and dancing skyclad with cousin Nell.

It’s not Yule without grandma.
She’s the one with the big hat.
And we just can’t help but wonder,
Should we divvy up her Gifts, or simply send them back.

Grandma got ran over by a broomstick,
Walking home from our house Yule Eve..
You can say there’s no such thing as witch’s.
But as for me and grandpa, we believe.

Now the punch is on the table,
And the pumpkin, it’s so big.
And the black and silver candles
That would just have matched the hair in grandma’s wig.

I’ve warned all my friends and neighbors,
Better watch out for yourselves.
They should never give a license,
To a gal who flies a broomstick deosil.

Grandma got ran over by a broomstick,
Walking home from our house Yule Eve..
You can say there’s no such thing as witch’s,
But as for me and grandpa, we believe.

December 20th Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1522 Suleiman the Magnificent accepts surrender of the surviving Knights of Rhodes, who are allowed to evacuate. They eventually settle in Malta and become known as the Knights of Malta.

1803 French flag lowered in New Orleans to mark the formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase from France to USA, purchased for $15M

1812 “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” or “Children’s and Household Tales” by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm is first published

1917 Cheka formed – Soviet state security force and forerunner to the KGB, under Felix Dzerzhinsky after decree by Lenin

1960 The National Liberation Front, better known as the Viet Cong, is officially formed in South Vietnam

Today’s Historical Events

69 General Vespasian’s troops occupy Rome after defeating the Emperor Vitellius

1046 Pope Gregory VI abdicates at the Council of Sutri, ending a conflict between himself, Benedict IX and Sylvester III; Clement II becomes the new Pope

1192 Richard the Lionhearted captured in Vienna

1448 Pope Nicholas V appoints Rudolf of Diepholt, Bishop of Utrecht, as cardinal

1522 Suleiman the Magnificent accepts surrender of the surviving Knights of Rhodes, who are allowed to evacuate. They eventually settle in Malta and become known as the Knights of Malta.

1585 English fleet & Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, reach Vlissingen

1606 The English colonial expedition to America, consisting of the ships Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant, departs Blackwall, London to found Jamestown, Virginia

1626 Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and Prince of Transylvania Gabor Bethlen sign Peace of Pressburg (Bratislava)

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1920 Bob Hope becomes an American citizen

1928 Ethel Barrymore Theater opens at 243 W 47th St NYC

1946 Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” film, directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore premieres in New York

1950 “Harvey” starring James Stewart premieres in New York

1952 KHQ TV channel 6 in Spokane, WA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 KID (now KIDK) TV channel 3 in Idaho Falls, ID (CBS) 1st broadcasting

1953 KWTV TV channel 9 in Oklahoma City, OK (CBS) begins broadcasting

1962 Osmond brothers debut on Andy Williams Show

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1600 Ottario Rinuccini and Giulio Caccini’s opera “Euridice” published

1823 Play “Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus” by Helmina von Chézy with incidental music by Franz Schubert premieres in Vienna

1943 “Internationale” is no longer USSR National Anthem

1946 Darius Milhaud‘s 2nd Symphony, premieres

1949 Maurice Ravel and John Cranko’s ballet “Beauty And The Beast” premieres

1957 Elvis Presley receives his draft notice to join the US Army for National Service

1967 Ian Anderson & Glenn Cornick form rock group Jethro Tull (SIDE NOTE: Lady Beltane’s all-time favorite rock group)

1969 Peter, Paul & Mary’s cover of John Denver‘s song “Leaving On A Jet Plane” reaches #1 (SIDE NOTE: Lady Beltane’s all-time favorite folk group)

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1894 England beat Australia by 10 runs in the 1st six-day Test Cricket, Australia needed 177 to win, all out at 166 on 6th day

1905 ‘Philadelphia’ Jack O’Brien wins the World Light Heavyweight boxing title after defending champion Bob Fitzsimmons of England retires in round 13 of 20 in San Francisco

1920 Bert Collins scores 104 on Test Cricket debut v England SCG

1921 AL votes to return to best-of-7 World Series, while NL votes best-of-9; Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis casts deciding vote for best-of-7

1925 National Football League Championship: Chicago Cardinals (11-2-1) win controversial first past the post title; Pottsville Maroons suspended after playing unsanctioned game

1926 St. Louis Cardinals trade future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Rogers Hornsby to NY Giants for Frankie Frisch & Jimmy Ring; concerns over Hornsby’s gambling

1929 Heinie Wagner replaces Bill Carrigan as Red Sox manager

1930 Cricketer Learie Constantine scores 100 runs in 52 mins West Indies v Tasmania (10×4, 1×6, 1×5)

December 19 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1776 Thomas Paine publishes his 1st “American Crisis” essay beginning “These are the times that try men’s souls” (date disputed)

1783 William Pitt the Younger becomes the youngest ever British Prime Minister at age 24

1932 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) begins transmitting overseas

1958 1st radio broadcast from space, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower Christmas message “to all mankind, America’s wish for peace on Earth and goodwill to men everywhere”

1984 Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sign the Sino-British Joint Declaration to transfer Hong Kong back to China in 1997

Today’s Historical Events

324 Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.

401 St Anastasius I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

1055 Seldjuken under Toghril Beg occupy Baghdad

1154 King Henry II of England crowned King of England

1487 Opening ceremony of the sixth Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City) 4,000 prisoners of war are sacrificed to Aztec gods over four days [1]

1551 Dutch west coast hit by hurricane

1562 Battle at Dreux: Anne de Montmorency & huguenots under Condé captured

1642 4 of Abel Tasman‘s crew killed at Wharewharangi (Murderers) Bay by Māori; Tasman’s ships depart without landing

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1946 Noël Coward‘s musical “Pacific 1860” premieres in London

1949 WJW TV channel 8 in Cleveland, Ohio (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 KFYR TV channel 5 in Bismarck, ND (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1957 Meredith Willson’s musical “The Music Man”, starring Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 1375 performances, wins 5 Tony and a Grammy Award

1964 “Gertrud”, Danish film directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, starring Nina Pens Rode, Bendt Rothe and Ebbe Rode, is released in France

1968 WCWB (now WMGT) TV channel 41 in Macon, GA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1971 CBS airs “Homecoming A Christmas Story,” (introducing the Waltons)

1971 Stanley Kubrick‘s X-rated film “A Clockwork Orange” based on the book by Anthony Burgess and starring Malcolm McDowell premieres

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1881 Opera “Hérodiade” by Jules Massenet is produced in Brussels

1955 Carl Perkins records “Blue Suede Shoes”

1960 Frank Sinatra‘s 1st session with Reprise Records (“Ring-A-Ding-Ding”)

1969 Beatle’s 7th Christmas fan-club single is released

1971 “Inner City” opens at Barrymore Theater NYC for 97 performances

1973 “Molly” closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 68 performances

1975 British guitarist Ron Wood joins The Rolling Stones

1984 33 unknown Bach keyboard works found in Yale library [1]

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1891 Canadian Rugby Union forms

1904 Dawson City hockey team begins 9 day walk to get a boat to Seattle to catch a train to Ottawa to play in Stanley Cup on Jan 13 1905

1913 Jack Johnson fights fellow African-American Jim Johnson to a draw in 10 rounds for the vacant world heavyweight boxing title in Paris, 1st time two black fighters compete for the title

1917 1st NHL game played on artificial ice in Toronto

1917 Quebec Bulldogs play their 1st professional hockey game

1920 1st US indoor curling rink opens (Brookline, Mass)

1924 Test Cricket debut of Bill Ponsford, who scored 110 in 1st innings

1926 National Football League Championship: Frankford Yellow Jackets (14-1-2) win first past the post title

Honoring Other Religions/Spiritual Paths Holy Days and Holidays

Warning this article has not been proofread. I wrote it while listening to my Spirit Guides, Ancestors, and to me most important my heart. So I decided to leave the words stand as they came to me to be typed.

We as Pagans and witches would like to be accepted openly by society as other more mainstream religions are. Do be able to wear our pentacle, ankh, or other pagan pendants and amulets proudly displayed outside of our shirt, blouse, or dress as other people proudly display a symbol of the spiritual belief.

Granted, being a solitary witch is more the norm for us than belonging to a coven or other pagan groups. Have you ever asked yourself why this is? Or why is it so hard to find a coven, especially a face to face one? Putting it bluntly our spiritual paths are very misunderstood because of the horrible way movies, television shows, books, history, and word to ear stories are told. If people of other spiritual paths would read just one non-fiction book about witchcraft and ask a real, practicing witch about their lifestyle and beliefs public opinion would start to change for the better.

As pagans and witches I feel and think we should set the example of tolerance for other people’s religious beliefs. So, I have decided to further this train of thought by doing posts, starting this December, that will qgive us some insight into other spiritual paths/religions holy and holidays. My hope is that even those of us that have come to some type of pagan spiritual tradition from a “main stream” religion can lose some of the nasty taste leftover from our former spiritual walk while learning things about different religions worldwide. Just as ignorance about Paganism gives us a bad reputation throughout most of today’s cultures and societies, our ignorance of other religions can tend to make us think badly of those that follow them.

I ask you to please read the short definition I will post about each holy or holiday a day or two before it takes place to widen your knowledge of the many different spitual paths people walk and their traditions. Yes, just as there are witches who turn The Craft into something dark to fit their own needs and beliefs there are those of all religions that do the same. Just like we do not want to be judge as a whole by those few please do not judge everyone who follows another religion by the ones that twist it into something it is not.

Do not judge others unless you enjoy someone judging you.

Shalom To Our Jewish Friends as You Celebrate Hanukkah December 18th to 26th,

In 2022, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 18 and lasts until sundown on Monday, Dec. 26.

Find a Hanukkah prep checklist here.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah, which is Hebrew for “dedication,” is the Festival of Lights.

It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greek army, and the subsequent miracle of rededicating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and restoring its menorah, or lamp.

The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil to illuminate the Temple lamp for one day, and yet it lasted for eight full days.

To read more about this interesting holiday, please copy and paste this link into your browser:

Https,://www.google.com/amp/s/www.myjewishlearning.com/article/hanukkah-2022/amp/

December 18th Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

218 BC Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia – Hannibal’s Carthaginian army heavily defeat Roman forces on Italian soil

1271 Kublai Khan renames his empire “Yuan” (元 yuán), marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of China

1603 First fleet of the Dutch East India Company under Admiral Steven van der Haghen departs for the East-Indies

1642 Abel Tasman‘s expedition sails around Farewell Spit and into Golden Bay, first sighting local Māori in New Zealand

1917 The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, authorizing prohibition of alcohol, is approved by the US congress and sent to the states for ratification

1957 World’s 1st full scale nuclear power plant, for peacetime use only, begins to generate electricity at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania

1979 Stanley Barrett 1st to exceed land sonic speed (739.666 MPH)

2019 US House of Representatives votes to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power (230-197) and obstruction of Congress (229-198)

Today’s Historical Events

218 BC Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia – Hannibal’s Carthaginian army heavily defeat Roman forces on Italian soil

1118 Alfonso van Aragon occupies Saragossa on Almoraviden

1271 Kublai Khan renames his empire “Yuan” (元 yuán), marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of China

1352 Etienne Aubert elected as Pope Innocentius VI

1385 Peace of Tournai (Dutch – Doornik) signed between the Burgundian Duke Philip II and the rebellious city of Ghent

1406 Anton of Burgundy becomes Duke of Brabant

1603 First fleet of the Dutch East India Company under Admiral Steven van der Haghen departs for the East-Indies

1621 English parliament accept unanimously, Protestation

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1948 WDSU TV channel 6 in New Orleans, LA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 KATV TV channel 7 in Little Rock, AR (ABC) begins broadcasting

1953 KMID TV channel 2 in Midland & Odessa, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting

1956 “To Tell the Truth” debuts on CBS-TV

1956 Phil Rizzuto signs as NY Yankees radio-TV announcer

1961 KAIL TV channel 53 in Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting

1962 WAIQ TV channel 26 in Montgomery, AL (PBS) begins broadcasting

1963 “The Pink Panther” film premieres, directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers and David Niven, with theme by Henry Mancini

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1892 Anton Bruckner‘s 8th Symphony premieres

1892 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky‘s ballet “The Nutcracker” premieres in Saint Petersburg, Russia, now the world’s most performed ballet; his final opera “Isolanta” also premieres

1962 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 13th Symphony premieres in Moscow

1964 “I Had a BaIl” opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 199 performances

1964 During funeral service held for soul singer Sam Cooke, fans cause damage to funeral home

1965 “La Grusse Valise” closes at 54th St Theater NYC after 7 performances

1970 “Me Nobody Knows” opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 587 performances

1985 Jerry Herman’s musical revue “Jerry’s Girls” opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 139 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1894 Day 4 of the 1st cricket test Australia v England, England following on 4-268, 7 in front

1932 National Football League Championship; Playoff, Chicago Stadium: Chicago Bears beat Portsmouth Spartans, 9-0

1935 Don Bradman scores 117 in his debut Sheffield Shield cricket match for South Australia in an innings & 5 run win over his old team, New South Wales

1936 Queensland cricket all out for 49 v Vic, Fleetwood-Smith 7-17

1949 National Football League Championship, Philadelphia Eagles beat Los Angeles Rams, 14-0; played in driving rain that caused field to become a mud pit

1952 Ellis W. Ryan resigns as Cleveland Indians president

1956 Ballon d’Or: Blackpool & England winger Stanley Matthews wins inaugural award for best football player in Europe; beats Real Madrid pair Alfredo Di Stéfano & Raymond Kopa

1956 Phil Rizzuto signs as NY Yankees radio-TV announcer

December 16 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

755 An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion during Chinese Tang Dynasty

1598 Seven Year War: Battle of Noryang Point – in the final battle of the war Korean navy decisively defeats the Japanese

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [NS: Dec 26]

1653 Parliamentarian General Oliver Cromwell appointed as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland

1773 Boston tea party incident – Sons of Liberty protesters throw tea shipments into Boston harbour in protest against British imposed Tea Act

1920 8.5 earthquake rocks the Gansu province in China, killing an estimated 200,000

1944 Nazi Germany launches a counteroffensive against the Allies in the Ardennes region of Belgium, beginning the ‘Battle of the Bulge’

1998 Iraq disarmament crisis: Operation Desert Fox – the United States and United Kingdom bomb targets in Iraq

Today’s Historical Events

755 An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion during Chinese Tang Dynasty

882 Marinus I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding John VIII

1392 Nanboku-chō – Emperor Go-Kameyama of Japan abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu

1431 King Henry VI of England crowned King of France (only English monarch to wear both crowns)

1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama is 1st European to sail along Africa’s East Coast, names it Natal

1538 King Francois I orders renewed pursuit of Protestants

1575 The 1575 Valdivia earthquake takes place.

1577 Danzig surrenders to troops of Polish king Istvan Bathory

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1913 Charlie Chaplin begins his film career at Keystone for $150 a week

1924 Noël Coward‘s “Vortex” premieres in London

1936 John Monks and Fred Finklehoff’s play “Brother Rat” premieres in New York City

1950 Child star Shirley Temple announces her retirement from films aged 22

1951 NBC premiere of “Dragnet” in black and white

1962 “Lawrence of Arabia” film directed by David Lean and starring Peter O’Toole, is released in the United States

1967 “Playtime”, French film directed by Jacques Tati, starring himself, is released

1968 KFIZ TV channel 34 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin begins broadcasting

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1767 Van Ritter von Glucks opera “Alceste” premieres

1877 Anton Bruckner‘s 3rd Symphony in D, premieres

1893 Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 – “New World Symphony” premieres at Carnegie Hall, New York

1926 Darius Milhaud‘s opera “Le Pauvre Matelot” premieres in Paris

1948 “Lend an Ear” opens at National Theater NYC for 460 performances

1950 “Let’s Make an Opera” closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 5 performances

1956 “Fanny” closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 888 performances

1960 “Wildcat” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 172 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1892 Commencement of 1st Sheffield Shield cricket game, SA v NSW

1899 Italian football club A.C. Milan founded as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club by Englishmen Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin (disputed possibly 13 Dec)

1918 Jack Dempsey KOs Carl Morris in 14 seconds

1922 Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Baseball Clubs formally organizes

1922 NSW all out for 786 against South Australia Cricket

1923 National Football League Championship: undefeated Canton Bulldogs (11-0-1) repeat as champions

1926 MLB owners renew contract with Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis for a second 7-years term

1927 Australian cricket’s batting maestro Don Bradman makes his 1st-class debut for NSW v South Australia at the Adelaide Oval finishing Day 1 on 65 not out

December 15 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

533 Byzantine General Belisarius defeats the Vandals, under King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron

1256 Hulagu Khan captures and destroys Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut, in present-day Iran, part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia

1488 Bartolomeu Dias returns to Portugal after becoming 1st known European to sail round the Cape of Good Hope

1612 German Astronomer Simon Marius is 1st to observe Andromeda galaxy through a telescope

1791 US Bill of Rights ratified when Virginia gives its approval, becomes amendments 1-10 of the US constitution

1840 Napoleon Bonaparte receives a French state funeral in Paris 19 years after his death

1915 WWI: ANZAC forces begin their withdrawal from the Gallipoli Peninsula after Ottoman forces successfully defend access to Constantinople

1973 American Psychiatric Association declares homosexuality is not a mental illness

Today’s Historical Events

533 Byzantine General Belisarius defeats the Vandals, under King Gelimer, at the Battle of Ticameron

687 St Sergius I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding Conon

1124 Chancellor Haimeric selects pope (Lamberto becomes Honorius II)

1167 Sicilian chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.

1256 Hulagu Khan captures and destroys Hashshashin stronghold at Alamut, in present-day Iran, part of the Mongol offensive on Islamic southwest Asia

1467 Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia

1488 Bartolomeu Dias returns to Portugal after becoming 1st known European to sail round the Cape of Good Hope

1569 Hunted by Queen Elizabeth I for treason in “The Rising of the North”, Charles Neville, Earl of Westmorland, escapes to Scotland.

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1939 “Gone With The Wind”, drama film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, premieres in Atlanta (Best Picture 1940, inflation not adjusted highest-grossing film of all time)

1952 KHON TV channel 2 in Honolulu, HI (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 WJHG TV channel 7 in Panama City, FL (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1956 KGW TV channel 8 in Portland, OR (NBC) begins broadcasting

1956 WRAL TV channel 5 in Raleigh-Durham, NC (CBS) begins broadcasting

1961 Equal access rule, political parties get TV broadcasting time

1962 Vaughn Meader‘s “1st Family” album goes #1 & stays #1 for 12 weeks

1973 Pirates of Caribbean ride opens at Disneyland

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1815 Gioachino Rossini gets assignment for Il barbiere di Siviglia

1893 Preview performance of Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 – “New World Symphony” draws a crowd to Carnegie Hall, New York [1]

1944 Bandleader Major Glenn Miller, lost over the English Channel

1952 “Two’s Company” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 90 performances

1955 “Folsom Prison Blues” single released by Johnny Cash (Billboard Song of the Year 1968)

1959 Everly Brothers record “Let It Be Me”, an English translation of by Gilbert Bécaud’s French song “Je t’appartiens”; reaches No. 7 on the charts

1965 D Heneker & J Taylor’s musical “Charlie Girl” premieres in London

1966 “Joyful Noise” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 12 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1894 Day 2 of first cricket test between Australia and England, Australia 586 runs (Gregory 201) England 3-130

1909 Thomas J. Lynch becomes president of baseball’s National League

1925 1st hockey game at Madison Square Garden, NYC: Montreal Canadiens 3, NY Americans 1

1929 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (12-0-1) win first past the post title

1930 Occasional leg-spin bowler Don Bradman takes his 1st of only 2 Test cricket wickets when he traps West Indian batsman Ivan Barrow lbw for 27 in the 1st Test in Adelaide

1933 Baseball owners agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15

1935 In major upset, Dutch grand master Max Euwe becomes World Chess Champion beating Russian Alexander Alekhine (9 wins, 13 draws, 8 losses) in Zandvoort, Netherlands

1935 National Football League Championship, University of Detroit Stadium: Detroit Lions beat New York Giants, 26-7; Lions first title

This is Me Today

I was writing a post explaining my Murphy’s Law day and it went belly up. Having to reset my computer – that did no good. So now it will be a factory rest. Yes, I have anything important backed up to my OneDrive account. Finding a bunch of emails starting from around mid November in my WOTC email account that had never showed up before today. Having my decades old AOL email account go belly up and making a Gmail account for my apprentices and those inquiring about studying with me. Keep this in mind I have only had 1 other Gmail account and that was closed in 2019 but had a secretary doing the hard work, I just had to go in an read emails he had stared for my attention.  Plus every regular daily post I have tried to messes up. So yep I may be bald or in a special jacket in a rubber room before the day is over. The silver lining is my day can only get better. I am going to try to work from my 3 year old, slow desktop computer while this laptop gets wiped clean.

I still have not figured out why my Officejet 4560 all-in-one was working fine Friday and I have not been able to print or copy anything since than.

I know I will not get extra daily posts like Today in History or Astronomy Picture of the Day or a Spell for Today or Wednesday’s Correspondences or A Laugh for Today done. But I will try to do the Daily and Birthday Horoscopes, Current Moon Phase, and Planetary Positions done as quickly as my desktop will do it. I am hoping to find a good thought for today that pertains to what I and I am sure others are going through today.

Dear Sisters and Brothers and Honoree Guests please wish my luck in getting all my computer related messes taking care of today. Oh yeah and that I do not just chuck them out the front door LOL! Thank you for your stead fast support, encouraging words, and positive energy you send my way, alll of it really does help to change my mind set.

My mantra for today – My day can only get better and it will

December 12 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

627 Battle at Nineveh: Byzantine Emperor Heraclius beats Sassanid forces during Byzantine-Sassanid War

1901 Guglielmo Marconi sends the first transatlantic radio signal, from Poldhu in Cornwall to Newfoundland, Canada

1925 Last Qajar Shah of Iran deposed; Rezā Shāh Pahlavi takes over

1946 UN accepts 6 Manhattan blocks as a gift from John D. Rockefeller Jr.

2000 US Supreme Court releases its decision in Bush v. Gore, settling the recount dispute in Florida’s 2000 presidential election in George W. Bush‘s favor and thus handing him the presidency

2015 COP21 climate change summit in Paris reaches a deal between 195 countries to limit the rise in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels

2019 British General Election won by Boris Johnson‘s Conservative Party in landslide win with 80 seat majority. Scottish National Party also wins 48 of 59 seats in Scotland

Today’s Historical Events

627 Battle at Nineveh: Byzantine Emperor Heraclius beats Sassanid forces during Byzantine-Sassanid War

1098 1st Crusaders capture & plunder Mara, Syria

1279 Discovery of a sarcophagus supposedly containing the body of Mary Magdalene in the crypt of the church of Saint-Maximin, southeastern France

1408 Order of the Dragon: The Order of the Dragon was first created on December 12, 1408 by Emperor Sigismund, then King of Hungary, and his wife Queen Barbara of Celje following the battle for possession of Bosnia.

1474 Isabella crowns herself queen of Castile & Aragon

1479 Jews are expelled from Schlettstadt Alsace by Emperor Frederick III

1524 Pope Clement VII approves Organization of Jewish Community of Rome

1653 English “Barebones” Parliament ends

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1897 Rudolph Dirks’ 1st “The Katzenjammer Kids” cartoon strip appears in NY Journal

1928 Robert Nichols and Maurice Browne’s play “Wings over Europe” premieres in New York City

1937 NBC & RCA sends 1st mobile-TV vans onto the streets of NY

1955 Film adaptation of “The Rose Tattoo”, starring Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster, premieres at the Astor Theatre in Times Square, NYC

1964 Shooting starts for “Star Trek” pilot “The Cage” (Menagerie)

1966 “A Man for All Seasons” based on the play by Robert Bolt, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Paul Scofield premieres in New York (Best Picture 1967)

1968 Rolling Stones film TV show “Rock and Roll Circus”- guest performers include The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono; the program never airs aired

1969 Comedy film “The Magic Christian”, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr premieres in London, England

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1527 Composer Adrian Willaert moves from Milan to Venice

1792 In Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven (22) receives 1st lesson in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn

1900 James Weldon Johnson’s poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, is set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson; the hymn becomes known as the Black national anthem [1] [2]

1912 Rudolf Friml and Otto Harbach’s musical “Firefly” premieres in New York City

1920 Maurice Ravel‘s ballet “La Valse” premieres in Paris

1926 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 1st Piano concert premieres in Leningrad

1965 The Beatles’ last concert in Great Britain at Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales

1981 “1st” closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC after 37 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1898 1st first-class cricket game between Australian states NSW and Tasmania

1899 George F Bryant of Boston patents the wooden golf tee

1908 Australasian Championships Men’s Tennis, Sydney: American Fred Alexander beats Alfred Dunlop of Australia 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3

1930 Baseball Rules Committee greatly revises the rule book, ball bouncing into stands not a HR, now a double

1933 Eddie Shore hits Toronto Maple Leaf star Ace Bailey from behind, fracturing his skull and ending his career

1936 1937 NFL Draft: Sam Francis from University of Nebraska first pick by Philadelphia Eagles

1937 1938 NFL Draft: Corbett Davis from University of Indiana first pick by Cleveland Rams

1937 National Football League Championship, Wrigley Field, Chicago: Washington Redskins beat Chicago Bears, 28-21

December 11 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [NS: Dec 21]

1792 France’s King Louis XVI goes on trial, accused of high treason and crimes against the state

1913 “Mona Lisa” recovered two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum

1931 Statute of Westminster gives complete legislative independence to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland (Free State), and Newfoundland (not then part of Canada)

1946 United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established by resolution 57(I) of the UN General Assembly

1997 Delegates from 150 industrial nations attending a UN climate conference in Kyoto, Japan, reach agreement to control heat-trapping greenhouse gases

Today’s Historical Events

359 Honoratus, first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office, after the Emperor Constantius creates a new senate for the East

384 St Damasus I dies and ends his reign as Catholic Pope. Began reign 366

1282 Llywelyn ab Gruffydd/Llywelyn the Last, last native Prince of Wales is killed at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, south Wales. Reigned from 1259.

1395 John “Eleanor” Rykener, a male cross-dressing prostitute, is brought to court in London for “committing that detestable unmentionable and ignominious vice” in late medieval England’s only recorded case on same-sex intercourse (verdict unknown)

1419 Heretic Nicolaas Serrurier exiled from Florence

1477 Duchess Maria of Burgundy ends the ‘Great Privilege’ in states of The Netherlands

1572 Spanish troops begin siege of Haarlem

1602 Surprise attack by forces of the Duke of Savoy and his brother-in-law, Philip III of Spain repelled by citizens of Geneva. Commemorated since as Fête de l’Escalade.

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1882 Victorien Sardous play “Fedora” with Sarah Bernhardt premieres in Paris

1909 Colored moving pictures demonstrated at Madison Square Garden, NYC

1948 WHEN (now WTVH) TV channel 5 in Syracuse, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting

1948 WMC TV channel 5 in Memphis, Tennessee (NBC) begins broadcasting

1949 WOAI (now KMOL) TV channel 4 in San Antonio, TX (NBC) 1st broadcast

1953 KTVA TV channel 11 in Anchorage (CBS) becomes Alaska’s 1st TV station

1960 Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh’s musical “Wildcat” with Lucille Ball premieres in New York City

1967 “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, premieres in NYC (Hepburn – Academy Award for Best Actress 1968)

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1882 Boston’s Bijou Theatre, 1st American playhouse lit exclusively by electricity, 1st performance, Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Iolanthe”

1946 Hank Williams begins to record on Sterling label

1947 Bob Hilliard and Sigman’s musical “Angel in the Wings” opens at Coronet Theater NYC for 308 performances

1950 Paul Hindemith‘s Concerto for Clarinet premieres with Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, and Benny Goodman as soloist, at the Academy of Music

1951 “The Wild Side of Life” single recorded by Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys (Billboard Song of the Year, 1952)

1961 Elvis Presley‘s “Blue Hawaii” album goes #1 & stays #1 for 20 wks

1965 “Anya” closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 16 performances

1965 Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin’s musical “The Yearling” closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 3 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1866 1st yacht race across Atlantic Ocean; schooners Fleetwing, Vesta and the Henrietta, with NY playboy Gordon Bennett on board, leave Sandy Hook for the Scilly Isles (the Henrietta wins)

1926 Leo O’Connor is unbeaten on 143 as Queensland wins their first Sheffield Shield match by 5 wickets vs NSW at the Sydney Cricket Ground

1934 1st Toronto Maple Leaf penalty shot, Conacher unsuccessful vs Rangers

1934 Ford C. Frick becomes president of baseball’s National League

1934 NL votes to permit night baseball (up to 7 games per home team)

1937 25th CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts claim their 4th Championship; beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 4-3

1938 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: New York Giants beat Green Bay Packers, 23-17; record title game attendance 48,120

1941 Australian state cricket associations, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales decide at meetings with new Prime Minister John Curtin to abandon all interstate first class matches for the duration of WWII

December 10 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1520 Martin Luther publicly burns papal edict demanding he recant

1684 Isaac Newton‘s derivation of Kepler’s laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper De motu corporum in gyrum, is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley

1799 Metric system first adopted in France

1901 First Nobel Peace Prizes awarded to Red Cross founder Jean Henri Dunant and peace activist Frederic Passy

1936 Edward VIII signs Instrument of Abdication, giving up the British throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson

1964 Nobel Peace Prize presented to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Oslo, Norway

Today’s Historical Events

741 Pope Zachary elected

1041 Michael IV, Paphlagonicus, Byzantium Emperor dies of results of dropsy. His wife Empress Zoe elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V.

1294 Pope Coelestinus V becomes Pope (until Dec 13th)

1508 League of the kingdom signed (covenant against Venice)

1510 Muslim ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah and his Ottoman allies surrender to Portuguese forces led by Afonso de Albuquerque who puts the Muslim population to the sword

1520 Martin Luther publicly burns papal edict demanding he recant

1582 France begins use of Gregorian calendar

1652 Sea battle at Dungeness: lt-admiral Maarten Tromp beats English fleet

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1899 Frank Wedekind‘s play “Der Kammersänger” premieres in Berlin

1926 1st radio broadcast in the Sprinfield area (WCBS)

1952 WSLS TV channel 10 in Roanoke, VA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 KOMO TV channel 4 in Seattle, WA (ABC) begins broadcasting

1953 WSTV (now WTOV) TV channel 9 in Steubenville-Wheeling, OH (CBS) begins

1962 David Lean‘s film “Lawrence of Arabia”, based on life of T. E. Lawrence and starring Peter O’Toole, premieres at Odeon Leicester Square (Academy Awards Best Picture 1963)

1963 6-year old Donny Osmond’s singing debut on Andy Williams Show

1967 CBS officially renames CBS-TV Studio 50 in New York (built in 1927 as Hammerstein’s Theatre), as “The Ed Sullivan Theater” in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his program

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1854 Hector Berlioz premieres his oratorio “L’enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ)”, conducting musicians and soloists from the Opéra-Comique, at the Salle Herz, Paris

1882 Johannes Brahms‘ choir and orchestra piece “Gesang der Parzen” (Song of the Fates) premieres in Basel

1927 “Grand Ole Opry” first named as such during Barn Dance radio broadcast, in Nashville, Tennessee

1953 “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac” opens at Imperial NYC for 229 performances

1963 Leonard Bernstein premieres his Third Symphony “Kaddish” with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, in Tel Aviv, Israel

1965 Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin’s musical “The Yearling” opens at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 3 performances

1978 “Platinum” closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 33 performances

1991 “Crucible” opens at Belasco Theater NYC for 32 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1810 English bare-knuckle boxer Tom Cribb beats African-American Tom Molineaux in 33rd of 40 round bout at Copthall Common, England; first interracial boxing match

1831 “Spirit of the Times” begins publishing in New York City, the premier sports journal of the 19th century

1918 John Heyder becomes president of baseball’s National League for the 2nd time

1919 NL votes to ban the spitball’s use by all new pitchers

1919 NY, Boston, & Chicago, oppose AL resolution accusing Ban Johnson of overstepping his duties

1922 1st National Football League Championship: undefeated Canton Bulldogs (10-0-2) named inaugural champions

1922 Pete Henry makes longest known NFL drop-kicked field goal, 45 yards

1924 Agreement reached on permanent rotation of World Series with each league, getting games 1, 2, 6, 7 in alternating years

December 7 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

43 BC Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and politician is assassinated in Formiae

1909 Inventor Leo Baekeland patents the first thermo-setting plastic, Bakelite, sparking the birth of the plastics industry

1941 Imperial Japanese Navy with 353 planes attack the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people

1965 Pope Paul VI & Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras I simultaneously lift mutual excommunications that led to split of 2 churches in 1054

1988 6.9 earthquake in Spitak, Armenia kills 25,000-50,000 people and leaves up to 500,000 homeless

1988 PLO delegation lead by Yasser Arafat proclaims the State of Palestine, recognizing the existence of the State of Israel for the first time

Today’s Historical Events

43 BC Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and politician is assassinated in Formiae

185 Emperor Lo-Yang, China sees supernova (MSH15-52)

1354 Margaretha van Bavarian’s son earl Willem V signs peace treaty

1696 Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways in the U.S. is completed to Trumbull.

1703 Great storm of 1703 hits Southern England – thousands killed, Royal Navy losses 13 ships and around 1,500 seamen

1703 The first Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703

1724 Tumult of Thorn – religious unrest was followed by the execution of nine Protestant citizens and the mayor of Thorn (Toruń) by Polish authorities.

1727 Physician Sir Hans Soane becomes President of the Royal Society, succeeding Sir Isaac Newton [1]

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1925 Noël Coward‘s “Easy Virtue” premieres in NYC

1952 KKTV TV channel 11 in Colorado Spgs-Pueblo, CO (CBS) 1st broadcast

1953 WCCB TV channel 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina (IND/ABC) begins broadcasting

1954 KCTS TV channel 9 in Seattle, WA (PBS) begins broadcasting

1956 Helen O’Connell joins Today Show panel (NBC)

1963 First use of the instant replay machine invented by CBS in a US Army vs Navy football game

1979 “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” first movie of the series premieres directed by Robert Wise, starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy

1986 NBC premiere of miniseries “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna” (Part 1)

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1732 The Royal Opera House opens at Covent Garden, London, England

1842 New York Philharmonic’s 1st concert

1911 Leslie J Stuart’s musical “Betsy” premieres in NYC

1939 William Walton’s Violin Concerto premieres in Cleveland; Ohio, with Jascha Heifetz as soloist and the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Artur Rodziński

1959 “Saratoga” opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 80 performances

1964 George Harrison changes his company’s name from Mornyork to Harrisongs

1967 Elmer Bernstein and Carolyn Leigh’s musical “How Now, Dow Jones”, starring Tony Roberts, and directed by George Abbott, opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC; runs for 220 performances

1967 Otis Redding records his song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”, co-written and produced by guitarist Steve Cropper at Stax Studios in Memphis Tennessee

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1907 Eugene Corri becomes 1st referee in a boxing ring

1929 PGA Championship Men’s Golf, Hillcrest CC: Defending champion Leo Diegel defeats Johnny Farrell, 6 & 4 in the final

1930 PGA Championship Men’s Golf, Fresh Meadows CC: American based Scotsman Tommy Armour defeats Gene Sarazen 1 up in the final for the 2nd of his 3 major titles

1931 After scoring 226 in 1st Test in Brisbane, Don Bradman belts 219 for NSW against the visiting South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground

1935 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Winnipeg Pegs (later Blue Bombers) defeat Hamilton Tigers, 18-12

1937 Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year-old Ted Williams

1937 Russian chess player Alexander Alekhine recaptures his final world title from Dutch grand master Max Euwe by a large margin (+10−4=11)

1939 Lou Gehrig, 36, is elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame