Category: Articles

Celebrate Summer Solstice and Connect With Nature Through These Rituals

After a long and seriously unforgiving winter, folks in the Northern Hemisphere are finally reaping the benefits of summer, as June 21 marks the official 2021 summer solstice. Many of us are already marking our calendars with beach days, hikes, and picnics galore — but if you’re looking to tap into the spiritual aspect of the seasonal shift, there are several solstice rituals you can do to welcome summer, in all its glory.

From gifting friends with sachets as a natural mosquito deterrent, to enjoying a seasonal feast of locally-grown goodies, there are so many fun ways to welcome and celebrate summer, sustainably.

Winter Solstice Spell

8 Rituals For The Winter Solstice 2021: How To Make Your Own Light

Take a deep breath as we enter this time of the winter solstice on December 21 in the northern hemisphere. Think of it as a sacred gateway: an ending and a new beginning. With all the noise of 2021, it is time for some much-needed quiet and inner nourishment. Mother Nature is asking us to reflect, recalibrate, and strengthen our ability to shine in the world.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. At this time, many cultures believe that the archetypal Great Mother gave birth to a sun child (the Egyptian deity Isis gave birth to sun god Horus; the Greek Leto gave birth to a shining Apollo.) This is a moment to hold the light for yourself and others. Here are eight rituals to help you do so.

1. Turn off the lights.

On the night of the solstice, unplug your phone, TV, and tablets. Instead of turning on electric lights, eat dinner by candlelight and…

Click here to read the rest of the article from mindbodygreen.com

Winter solstice 2021: Why it happens and how we celebrate the first day of winter

For the past six months, the days have grown shorter and the nights have grown longer in the Northern Hemisphere. But that’s about to reverse itself.

Winter solstice 2021, the shortest day of year and the official first day of winter, is on Tuesday, December 21. How it all works has fascinated people for thousands of years.

First we’ll look at the science and precise timing behind the solstice. Then we’ll explore some ancient traditions and celebrations around the world.

From msn.com

December 21 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore at in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [OS=Dec 11]

1898 Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium

1968 Apollo 8: 1st manned Moon voyage launched with Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders

1988 Lockerbie disaster: A terrorist bomb destroys Pan Am Flight 103 mid-air, over Scotland; kills all 259 passengers and crew on board, and 11 people on the ground [1]

1991 Soviet Union formally dissolves as 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming Commonwealth of Independent States

Today’s Historical Events

1163 Hurricane hits villages in Holland/Friesland, causing floods

1561 Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, Archbishop of Mechelen, made Cardinal

1582 Flanders adopts the Gregorian calendar, skipping 11 days making the next day Jan 1, 1583

1598 Battle of Curalaba: the Mapuche people led by Pelentaru revolt and inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile

1620 Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore at in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts [OS=Dec 11]

1650 Johan de Witt installed as Dutch Pensionary of Dordrecht

1784 John Jay becomes acting US Secretary of State (1789-90)

1788 Hue Tay Son becomes emperor Quang Trung of Vietnam

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1914 1st feature-length silent film comedy “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” released starring Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand and Charlie Chaplin

1925 “Battleship Potemkin”, Soviet silent film directed by Sergei Eisenstein, starring Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barksy and Grigori Aleksandrov, premieres in Moscow

1933 Fox Films signs Shirley Temple aged 5, to a studio contract

1934 French film “Zouzou” premieres in Paris, starring Josephine Baker; 1st black woman to star in a major motion picture

1937 The first full-length animated feature film and the earliest in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, premieres at the Carthay Circle Theatre

1949 “Samson and Delilah”, directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature, premieres in New York

1952 WSBT TV channel 22 in South Bend, IN (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 KOMU TV channel 8 in Columbia, MO (NBC/PBS) begins broadcasting

Today’s Historical Music Events

1920 Jerome Kern/BG DeSylva’s musical “Sally” premieres in NYC

1941 David Diamond’s 1st Symphony premieres

1945 “Billion Dollar Baby” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 219 performances

1946 “If the Shoe Fits” closes at Century Theater NYC after 20 performances

1950 Cole Porter‘s musical “Out of this World” premieres at New Century Theater NYC; runs for 157 performances

1960 Ornette Coleman records his influential album “Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation”, establishes the name for the Free Jazz sound

1961 Beatles record “Sweet Georgia Brown” & “Ready Teddy”

1968 Glen Campbell‘s album “Wichita Lineman” goes to #1 in the US

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1891 1st game of basketball, based on rules created by James Naismith, played by 18 students in Springfield, Massachusetts

1918 Red Sox trade Dutch Leonard, Ernie Shore & Duffy Lewis to Yankees for Ray Caldwell & Slim Love, Frank Gilhooey, Al Walters & $15,000

1925 Test batsman Hunter “Stork” Hendry scores career best unbeaten 325 for Victoria against New Zealand in drawn tour match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

1926 Soccer team DOS Struggle forms

1932 Giants sign former outfielder Billy Southworth as a coach

1936 Bradman‘s 2nd consecutive Test Cricket duck! Australia all out for 80

1937 O’Reilly completes 14-98 for cricket match, NSW v South Aust

1937 Chicago Black Hawks left wing Paul Thompson becomes first player in NHL history to score a goal against his brother; scores on bro Cecil of the Boston Bruins with just 9 seconds left in regulation; Bruins win though, 2-1

Simple Full Moon Ritual for Release, Energy, and Cleansing

In this post I’m going to reveal my full moon ritual for manifestation that’s designed to release negative energy and cleanse your soul.

Over the years I have experimented with many different rituals and am excited to share what I’ve learned with you.

A few benefits of performing a full moon ceremony include:

  • Release negativity
  • Increase energy
  • Spiritual cleansing
  • Set intentions that materialize
  • Manifest abundance, love, or money
  • Make your wishes come true

Ready to learn more?

Let’s get started!

What is a Full Moon Ritual?

A full moon ritual is a spiritual ceremony performed on the night of a full moon to release negativity and practice gratitude. The ritual does not need to be completed at the exact moment of a full moon, but should be performed within 48 hours before or after for best results.

When the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun this is called a full moon. This happens about once per

For more information about full Moon rituals by Ryan Hart

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

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

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

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

Today’s Historical Music Events

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

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

1967 The Beatles release “Christmas Time is Here Again”

1969 Plastic Ono Band, play their only concert at London’s Lyceum Ballroom

1987 First National US Tour of “Les Miserables” opens at Shubert Theatre, Boston

1991 “Nick & Nora” closes at Marquis Theater NYC after 9 performances

1993 John Williams final appearance as conductor of Boston Pops

1994 “A Tuna Christmas” opens at Booth Theater NYC for 20 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sport

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, Montreal Canadiens 3, NY Americans 1

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

December 14 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

644 Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad, appointed 3rd Caliph of Islam

1287 During St. Lucia’s Flood in Northwest Netherlands the Zuiderzee seawall collapses with loss of over 50,000 lives. Fifth largest recorded flood in history

1542 Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old

1774 First incident of American Revolution – 400 New Hampshire militiamen successfully attack Fort William and Mary

1911 Norwegian Roald Amundsen‘s expedition is the 1st to each the South Pole

1995 The Dayton Agreement is signed in Paris by leaders of various governments ending the conflict in the former Yugoslavia including Slobodan Milošević, Alija Izetbegović, Franjo Tuđman and Bill Clinton

Today’s Historical Events

557 Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, is significantly damaged by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake

644 Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad, appointed 3rd Caliph of Islam

835 Chinese Emperor Wenzong conspires with chancellor Li Xun and general Zheng Zhu to kill all the eunuchs, but the plot is foiled. Also known as the Sweet Dew Incident

867 Adrian II begins his reign as Catholic Pope

872 John VIII elected as Catholic Pope

1124 Theobald Buccapecus elected Pope Coelestinus II (he refuses)

1287 During St. Lucia’s Flood in Northwest Netherlands the Zuiderzee seawall collapses with loss of over 50,000 lives. Fifth largest recorded flood in history

1542 Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1952 KROD (now KDBC) TV channel 4 in El Paso, TX (CBS) begins broadcasting

1954 WOAY TV channel 4 in Oak Hill-Beckley, WV (ABC) begins broadcasting

1969 Jackson Five make their 1st appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

1971 U.S. premiere of “Nicholas and Alexandra”, film adaptation of Robert K. Massie’s best selling novel

1974 Disaster film “The Towering Inferno” is released, starring Steve McQueen and Paul Newman

1988 CBS’ $1.1 B bid wins exclusive 1990-94 major-league baseball rights

1993 “Philadelphia” one of the first mainstream films about AIDS, directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington premieres in Century City, California

1996 12th Soap Opera Digest Awards – Days of Our Lives wins

Today’s Historical Music Events

1849 1st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert in Boston

1918 Giacomo Puccini‘s opera “Il Trittico” premieres in NYC

1924 Respighi’s symphony “Pini di Roma” premieres in Paris

1925 Alban Berg’s first opera, “Wozzeck” premieres at the Berlin State Opera.

1933 Josephine Baker performs in Amsterdam

1946 “Three to Make Ready” closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 323 performances

1950 Musical “Bless You All” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 84 performances

1957 “Most Happy Fella” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 678 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1894 Day One 1st Test Cricket Aus v Eng Aust 5-346 (Giffen 161, Gregory 85)

1894 Test cricket debut of future Australian captain Joe Darling, great all-rounder Ernie Jones and outstanding England batsman Archie MacLaren; England wins 1st Test in Sydney by 10 runs

1901 1st table tennis tournament is held at the London Royal Aquarium

1920 Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in NYC

1930 NY Giants defeat Notre Dame 22-0 in a charity game

1930 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (10-3-1) repeat with best record in first past the post title

1935 Test Cricket debut of “Chuck” Fleetwood-Smith v South Africa, Durban

1938 Major League Baseball agrees on use of a standard ball; disagrees on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players, although Commissioner Judge Landis eventually decides on 25

December 13 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1577 Francis Drake sets sail from England on a circumnavigation of the world

1636 The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. Recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.

1642 Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sights the South Island of present day New Zealand; initially he calls it Staten Landt and changes it a year later to Nieuw Zeeland [1]

1920 League of Nations establishes the International Court of Justice in The Hague

2002 The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004

2003 Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit, during Operation Red Dawn by US forces

Today’s Historical Events

1294 Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months; Celestine hoped to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.

1545 Council of Trent (19th ecumenical council) opened by Pope Paul III

1570 Sweden and Denmark signs Peace of Stettin

1572 Spanish army beats Geuzen fleet (confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles) under admiral Lumey

1577 Francis Drake sets sail from England on a circumnavigation of the world

1621 Emperor Ferdinand II delegates 1st anti-Reformation decree

1636 The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. Recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.

1642 Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sights the South Island of present day New Zealand; initially he calls it Staten Landt and changes it a year later to Nieuw Zeeland [1]

1 From nzhistory.govt.nz

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1950 James Dean begins his career with an appearance in a Pepsi commercial

1953 KOAM TV channel 7 in Pittsburg-Joplin, KS (CBS) begins broadcasting

1956 “Anastasia” comeback film for Ingrid Bergman is released in the US, role wins Bergman Academy Award for Best Actress.

1957 “Peyton Place” film based on the novel by Grace Metalious, directed by Mark Robson and starring Lana Turner and Hope Lange is released

1961 “The Young Ones” directed by Sidney J. Furie, starring Cliff Richard, Robert Morley and Carole Gray premieres in London

1970 Neil Simon‘s “Gingerbread Lady” premieres in NYC

1975 1st time “Saturday Night Live” uses a time delay, Richard Pryor hosts

1978 CBS’ premiere of “Lovey: A Circle of Children Part II”, sequel to “A Circle of Children”, which is also based on Mary Mac Cracken

Today’s Historical Music Events

1759 First music store in America opens (Philadelphia)

1823 Gioachino Rossini arrives in London

1895 First complete performance of Gustav Mahler’s 2nd Symphony

1928 George Gershwin‘s “An American In Paris” premieres at Carnegie Hall, NYC, performed by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Walter Damrosch

1947 “Caribbean Carnival” closes at International Theatre, NYC, after 11 performances

1950 “Let’s Make an Opera” opens at John Golden Theater, NYC; runs for 5 performances

1961 The Beatles sign a formal agreement to be managed by Brian Epstein

1963 Capital records signs right of first refusal agreement with The Beatles

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1901 Test debut of English cricketer Sydney Barnes vs Australia at the SCG, took 5-65 in 1st innings

1930 George Sisler’s career ends when Boston Braves release him

1931 National Football League Championship: Green Bay Packers (12-2-0) win 3rd straight first past the post title

1936 National Football League Championship, Polo Grounds, NYC: Green Bay Packers beat Boston Redskins, 21-6; Packers 4th title; Redskins move to Washington, D.C. for 1937 season

1942 National Football League Championship, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Washington Redskins upset Chicago Bears, 14-6

1952 NFL Dallas Texans (former Boston Yanks) play last game, losing to the Lions in Detroit, finish with record of 1-11

1956 Dodgers trade Jackie Robinson to Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield & $35,000. Robinson will retire rather than be traded.

1960 Italy beats US in Davis cup (1st time in 24 years US not in finals)

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

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

1677 Brandenburgs army occupies Stettin

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 ‘n Roll Circus”-never aired

1977 “Saturday Night Fever“, a film starring John Travolta, premieres in NYC

Today’s Historical Music Event

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 National Negro Anthem, “Lift Every Voice & Sing”, composed

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

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

December Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

536 Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city, returning the old capital to its empire

1212 Frederick II (later also Holy Roman Emperor) crowned King of Germany in Mainz

1968 NLS (a system for which hypertext and the computer mouse were developed) is publicly demonstrated for the first time in San Francisco.

1990 Lech Wałęsa wins Poland’s 1st direct presidential election in Poland

1992 Operation Restore Hope: US Marines land in Somalia

Today’s Historical Events

536 Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city, returning the old capital to its empire

656 Battle of Kameel: Kalief Al ibn Abu Talib beats rebellion

730 Battle of Marj Ardabil, Turkic Khazar army led by Barjik defeats Umayyad force, with 20,000 killed including general al-Jarrah ibn Abdallah, whose head is mounted on a throne

1212 Frederick II (later also Holy Roman Emperor) crowned King of Germany in Mainz

1315 Swiss Woudsteden renews Eternal Covenant (Oath Society)

1425 Pope Martinus V forms University of Leuven

1570 The Geuzen (a confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles) under Herman de Ruyter occupies Loevestein

1625 Netherlands & England sign military treaty

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1960 1st broadcast of “Coronation Street” on British ITV

1965 “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, the first Peanuts animated special premieres on CBS in the US

1968 KRNE TV channel 12 in Merriman, NB (PBS) begins broadcasting

1968 Terence O’Neill, Northern Ireland Prime Minister, makes a television appeal for moderate opinion in what became known as the ‘Ulster stands at the Crossroads’ speech

1988 NY Yankees sign 12-year television contract with MSG for $500M

1988 Premiere of fact based crime drama film “Mississippi Burning”

1990 23rd NAACP Image Awards: “Coming to America” wins Outstanding Motion Picture

1997 “Tomorrow Never Dies“, 18th James Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh, premieres in London

Today’s Historical Music Events

1842 Mikhail Glinka’s opera “Russlan and Ludmilla” premieres at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, in St. Petersburg, Russia

1905 Richard Strauss‘ opera “Salome” premieres in Dresden

1954 Dmitri Shostakovich appointed honored guest of Royal Swedish Academy of Music

1961 “From the Second City” closes at Royale Theater NYC after 87 performances

1961 “Let It Ride” closes at Eugene O’Neill Theater NYC after 68 performances

1964 John Coltrane‘s Quartet records their greatest work “A Love Supreme” at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

1967 Jim Morrison arrested on stage for disturbing the peace at the New Haven Arena, Connecticut, making him the 1st rock star to be taken into custody during a performance

1973 “Pajama Game” opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC for 65 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1892 English football club Newcastle United founded

1913 Heavyweight Jack Johnson-Jim Johnson fight to no decision in Paris

1913 John K Tener becomes president of baseball’s National League

1922 1st Australasian Championships Women’s Tennis, Sydney: Margaret Molesworth wins inaugural title; beats fellow Australian Esna Boyd 6-3, 10-8

1922 Australasian Championships Men’s Tennis, Sydney: James Anderson wins 1st of 3 Australasian titles; beats fellow Australian Gerald Patterson 6-0, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

1925 AL extends Ban Johnson‘s contract to 1935 & raise to $40,000

1926 USGA legalizes steel shaft golf clubs

1931 Baseball cuts squad from 25 to 23 players & NL continues to prohibit uniform numbers

December 8 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1863 Abraham Lincoln issues his Amnesty Proclamation and plan for Reconstruction of the South

1941 US and Britain declare war on Japan, US enters World War II

1941 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers “Day of Infamy” speech to US Congress a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

1965 Pope Paul VI signs 2nd Vatican council

1966 US and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space

2004 Cuzco Declaration is signed in Cuzco, Peru, establishing the Union of South American Nations

Today’s Historical Events

1326 Daitokuji temple, Rinzai line, established in Kyoto by Daito Kokushi

1609 Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan opens its reading room, second public library in Europe

1659 Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez is founded by Fray García de San Francisco.

1710 Battle of Brihuega in the War of the Spanish Succession: British General James Stanhope captured by French & Spanish forces

1776 George Washington‘s retreating army crosses Delaware River from NJ

1777 Captain James Cook leaves Society Islands

1792 1st cremation in US: Henry Laurens

1794 1st issue of Herald of Rutland, VT published

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1857 1st production of Dion Boucicault‘s play “Poor of New York”

1949 “On the Town”, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, is released

1954 WPTZ TV channel 5 in Plattsburgh, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting

1955 Black Ealing comedy “The Ladykillers”, directed by Alexander Mackendrick and starring Alec Guinness is released in the UK

1960 Musical “Peter Pan”, starring Mary Martin broadcast, for a 3rd time, on NBC as a special event, videotaped in color for future rebroadcasts

1978 “The Deer Hunter”, directed by Michael Cimino and starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep, premieres in Los Angeles (Academy Awards Best Picture 1979)

1980 “Bravo” network premieres on cable TV

Today’s Historical Music Events

1813 Ludwig van Beethoven‘s 7th Symphony in A, premieres in Vienna with Beethoven conducting

1846 Hector Berlioz‘s “La Damnation de Faust” premieres

1849 Giuseppe Verdi‘s opera “Luisa Miller” premieres in Naples

1914 Irving Berlin‘s musical “Watch your Step” premieres in NYC

1915 Jean Sibelius‘ 5th Symphony in E premieres

1930 Cole Porter‘s musical “The New Yorkers” opens at B. S. Moss’s Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 169 performances

1947 “Caribbean Carnival” opens at International Theater NYC for 11 performances

1948 “Marinka” closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 168 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

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1940 National Football League Championship, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins, 73-0; most one-sided victory in NFL history; first NFL title game broadcast on national radio

1942 8th Heisman Trophy Award: Frank Sinkwich, Georgia (HB)

1948 14th Heisman Trophy Award: Doak Walker, SMU (HB)

1953 19th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Lattner, Notre Dame (HB)

1955 21st Heisman Trophy Award: Howard Cassady, Ohio State (HB)

1955 Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella wins his 3rd MVP Award

1956 XVI Summer Olympic Games close in Melbourne, Australia; start of an Olympic tradition – amidst international tensions, athletes mingle together, parade into and around MCG arena for final appearance to close the Games

1959 President Eisenhower watches Pakistan v Aust Test Cricket at Karachi

Sunset Time for the Shortest Day of 2021 for the Northern Hemisphere

 

The shortest day of the year, in terms of daylight, is December 21, the winter solstice. But the days will actually begin to feel a bit longer two weeks before the solstice. That’s because the earliest sunset of the year happens before the solstice, and in 2021, it occurs on Tuesday, December 7.

For more about the shortest day of 2021 click here 

From The Farmers Almanac

 

Frankfurt, Germany, Europe

Daylight

8:09 am – 4:23 pm
8 hours, 13 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 4:11:59 pm
Sun Direction: 232.10° SW↑
Sun Altitude: 1.02°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 4:59 pm (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 8:09 am↑ 126° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:23 pm↑ 234° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

London, England, Europe

Daylight

7:51 am – 3:52 pm
8 hours

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 3:19:11 pm
Sun Direction: 226.54° SW↑
Sun Altitude: 3.30°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 3:59 pm (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:51 am↑ 127° Southeast
Sunset Today: 3:52 pm↑ 233° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

New York,, New York, USA

Daylight

7:06 am – 4:28 pm
9 hours, 22 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 10:08:33 am
Sun Direction: 155.25° SSE↑
Sun Altitude: 22.60°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 10:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:06 am↑ 120° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:28 pm↑ 240° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Daylight

7:04 am – 4:19 pm
9 hours, 15 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 9:02:02 am
Sun Direction: 141.98° SE↑
Sun Altitude: 15.65°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 9:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:04 am↑ 120° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:19 pm↑ 240° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

Phoenix, Arizonia, USA

Daylight

7:19 am – 5:20 pm
10 hours, 1 minute

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 8:09:45 am
Sun Direction: 124.20° SE↑
Sun Altitude: 8.30°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 8:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:19 am↑ 117° Southeast
Sunset Today: 5:20 pm↑ 243° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Lengt

Los Angeles, California, USA

Daylight

6:45 am – 4:43 pm
9 hours, 58 minutes

December 5 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

771 Charlemagne becomes the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman

1349 500 Jews of Nuremberg massacred during Black Death riots

1456 Earthquake strikes Naples; about 35,000 die

1848 US President James K. Polk triggers gold rush of 1849 by confirming a gold discovery in California

1933 Prohibition ends in the US when 21st Amendment to the US Constitution ratified, 18th Amendment repealed (5:32 PM EST)

1969 Four-node ARPANET network is established

Today’s Historical Events

63 BC Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations

663 Fourth Council of Toledo takes place

771 Charlemagne becomes the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman

1082 Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona is assassinated

1301 Pope Boniface VIII’s decree Ausculta fili (only nominee)

1349 500 Jews of Nuremberg massacred during Black Death riots

1360 The French Franc is created

1408 Emir Edigu of Golden Horde reaches Moscow

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1859 Dion Boucicault‘s play “Octaroon” premieres in NYC

1941 “Sullivan’s Travels”, directed by Preston Sturges and starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake, is released

1954 KTEW (now KJRH) TV channel 2 in Tulsa, OK (NBC) begins broadcasting

1958 WTOL TV channel 11 in Toledo, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting

1971 KCBJ (now KMIZ) TV channel 17 in Columbia, MO (ABC) 1st broadcast

1974 Final episode of Monty Python‘s Flying Circus airs on BBC TV

1982 15th NAACP Image Awards: “An Officer and a Gentleman” wins Outstanding Motion Picture

2001 “Ocean’s Eleven” directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts premieres in Westwood, California

Today’s Historical Music Events

1830 Hector Berlioz‘s “Symphonique Fantastique” premieres in Paris

1837 Hector Berlioz‘s “Requiem” premieres

1890 Berlioz’ opera “Les Troyens” premieres in Karlsruhe

1966 “I Do! I Do!” opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 561 performances

1968 Rolling Stones release “Beggar’s Banquet” LP

1973 Paul McCartney & Wings release album “Band on the Run” in the US

1975 “Me & Bessie” closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after 453 performances

1991 “Catskills on Broadway” opens at Lunt-Fontanne NYC for 452 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1868 1st American bicycle college opens (NY)

1914 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win first Championship; beat U of Toronto Blues, 14-2

1924 Hamilton Tiger Red Green scores 5 goals to beat Tor Maple Leafs 10-5

1925 CFL Grey Cup, Landsdowne Park, Ottawa: Ottawa Senators win first title; beat Winnipeg Tammany Tigers, 24-1

1931 CFL Grey Cup, Molson Stadium, Montreal: Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers shutout Regina Roughriders, 22-0 for their first title

1936 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Sarnia Imperials defeat Ottawa Rough Riders, 26-20 for their 2nd Championship

1942 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto RCAF Hurricanes beat Winnipeg RCAF Bombers, 8-5

1943 NFL Philadelphia Eagle-Pitts Steeler merger dissolves

 

December 3 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1586 Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia

1854 Eureka Stockade: In what is claimed by many to be the birth of Australian democracy, more than 20 goldminers at Ballarat, Victoria, are killed by state troopers in an uprising over mining licences

1967 1st human heart transplant performed in South Africa by Dr Christiaan Barnard on Louis Washkansky

1984 Bhopal disaster: Union Carbide pesticide plant leak 45 tons of methyl isocyanate and other toxic compounds in Bhopal, India, kills 2,259 (official figure) – other estimates as high as 16,000 (including later deaths) and over half a million injured

1989 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George H. W. Bush, declare the Cold War over

Today’s Historical Events

741 St Zachary begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding Gregory III

1347 Pope Clemens VI declares Roman tribunal Cola di Rienzo as heretics

1557 1st Covenant of Scottish protestants form

1586 Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia

1639 1st annulment by court decree passes

1676 Battle of Lund (Scanian War): Swedish army of 8,000 defeats much larger joint Danish/Dutch force of 13,000

1678 Edmond Halley receives MA from The Queen’s College, Oxford

1685 Charles II bars Jews from settling in Stockholm, Sweden

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1949 KRLD (now KDFW) TV channel 4 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (CBS) begins

1952 1st TV broadcast in Hawaii

1955 KTVE TV channel 10 in Monroe-El Dorado, LA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1956 KFSA (now KFSM) TV channel 5 in Ft Smith, AR (CBS) 1st broadcast

1964 KHQL (now KCAN) TV channel 8 in Albion, NB (ABC) begins broadcasting

1966 Television pop group “The Monkees” make their live concert debut at the Honolulu International Centre Arena, in Hawaii

1968 NBC Elvis comeback special airs

1982 “Frances”, film depicting life of actress Frances Farmer and starring Jessica Lange, first released in the US

Today’s Historical Music Events

1907 George Cohan’s musical “Talk of the Town” premieres in NYC

1908 Edward Elgar‘s 1st Symphony in A performed by the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Hans Richter, premieres in Manchester, England

1930 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart‘s musical “Evergreen” premieres in London

1939 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s 6th Symphony premieres

1943 Howard Hanson conducts premiere of his 4th Symphony (“Requiem”) with the Boston Symphony; Wins Pulitzer Prize for Music, 1944

1953 Robert Wright and George Forrest’s musical “Kismet” opens at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC; runs for 583 performances, wins Tony Award for Best Musical

1953 Premier of Dmitri Shostakovich‘ 5th String Quartet

1953 Webb Pierce records single “In the Jailhouse Now” (Billboard Song of the Year, 1955)

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1901 At the MLB meeting, the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is officially dropped from the American League and replaced by the St. Louis Browns

1921 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts win 2nd Championship; beat Edmonton Eskimos, 23-0

1929 Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1, the first win of an NHL record 14-game winning streak, and a 22-game home winning streak

1932 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Tigers defeat Regina Roughriders, 25-6 for their 5th Championship

1933 As part of a famous MLB fire sale of players, Philadelphia A’s owner Connie Mack sells catcher Mickey Cochrane to Detroit for $100,000; Cochrane is immediately named Tigers manager

1933 Joe Lilliard QBs Chic Cardinals; last NFL black until 1946

1943 9th Heisman Trophy Award: Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame (QB)

1944 Temporary merger of 2 NFL teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Cardinals, dissolves at finish of season; WWII ends before start of 1945 season, so both teams resume normal operations

 

December 2 Today In Hoistory

Today’s Important Historical Events

1804 General Napoleon Bonaparte is crowned Emperor of the French at the Notre Dame de Paris in a ceremony officiated by Pope Pius VII

1823 US President James Monroe declares the “Monroe Doctrine” opposing European colonialism in the Americas, arguing any European political intervention in the New World would be a hostile act against the United States

1845 US President James K. Polk announces to Congress that the United States should aggressively expand into the West, a widely held belief termed “manifest destiny” by newspaper editor John O’Sullivan

1929 First skull of Peking man found in the caves of Zhoukoudian, 50 km outside of Peking, China. Later dated roughly 750,000 years old. [1]

1976 Communist revolutionary Fidel Castro becomes President of Cuba, replacing Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado

Today’s Historical Events

1409 The University of Leipzig opens

1620 English language newspaper “Namloos” begins publishing in Amsterdam

1682 Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury flees to Amsterdam following the failure of his plots to prevent a Catholic succession should King Charles II die

1697 St Paul’s Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren is consecrated for use (previous building destroyed in the Great Fire of London)

1755 The second Eddystone Lighthouse on Eddystone Rocks off English southern coast is destroyed by fire

1763 Touro shul of Newport, Rhode Island dedicated (oldest existing US synagogue)

1777 British General Howe plots attack on Washington’s army for Dec 4

1790 Austrian army occupies Brussels

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1932 “Adventures of Charlie Chan” 1st heard on NBC-Blue radio network

1952 First human birth televised to public on KOA-TV Denver, Colorado

1958 KNOP TV channel 2 in North Platte, NB (NBC) begins broadcasting

1978 Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand‘s “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” hits #1

1988 “Naked Gun” movie based on TV’s “Police Squad” premieres

1988 ESPN airs its 10,000th edition of ‘Sports Center’, making it the most televised cable program in history

1994 “Cobb” a film about baseball player Ty Cobb, starring Tommy Lee Jones premieres

2003 US reality show “The Simple Life” with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie premieres on Fox

Today’s Historical Music Events

1840 Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “La Favorita” premieres in Paris

1877 Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera “Samson et Dalila” premieres in Weimar

1883 Johannes Brahms‘ “3rd Symphony in F” premieres with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

1885 Opera “Regina di Saba” premieres in Vienna

1951 “Borscht Capades” closes at Royale Theater NYC after 90 performances

1954 “Hit the Trail” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 4 performances

1957 Sam Cooke’s single “You Send Me” reaches #1

1969 “Buck White” opens at George Abbott Theater NYC for 7 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1887 International Baseball League disbands; teams in Syracuse, Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo form the International Association; those in Newark, Jersey City, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton become the Central League

1902 Dutch soccer club Be Quick – later Go Ahead, forms in Deventer; suffix ‘Eagles’ added in 1971

1907 Association of Football Players’ and Trainers’ Union (English Professional Football Players’ Association) is formed by Charlie Roberts and Billy Meredith in Manchester, England

1907 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns retains his title; KOs Englishman Gunner Moir in 10th round at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London

1909 National Hockey Association (NHA) is formed in Montreal; original members include Montreal Wanderers and Montreal Canadiens; becomes NHL after some NHA teams leave due to ownership disagreements, and create their own league

1916 National Baseball Commission orders that injured players get full pay for duration of their contracts; injury clause previously let clubs suspend players after 15 days’ pay

1922 CFL Grey Cup, Richardson Stadium, Kingston: Queen’s University win first of 3 straight titles; defeat Edmonton Elks, 13-1

1932 Australia ends Day 1 of controversial ‘Bodyline’ cricket series v England at 290/6 in Sydney; Stan McCabe 127no (finishes at 187no); notorious England fast bowler Harold Larwood takes 4 wickets; England wins by 10 wickets

Some December 2021 Pagan Calendar Observances

From WiccanFamilyTemple.org

DEC. 1: – Greek / Roman Day of Pallas Athena / Minerva.
– Day for Meditation on Tantric Bodhisattva Goddess Red Tara – Protector against evil and harm.

DEC. 3: – Roman Day of Cybele / Rhea – The Great Mother.

DEC. 4: – Feast of Shango – Orisha who defends against evil.

DEC. 6: – Mindfulness Day – Zen Buddhist day for mindfully seeing and acting with compassion for the poor and oppressed.

DEC. 7: – Haloia of Demeter.

DEC. 7 – 9: Feast of the Immanent Feminine Divine Spirit – Honoring Goddess as Maha Devi Shakti (Hindu), Holy Spirit Wisdom (Christian).

DEC. 8: Rohatsu – Zen Buddhist celebration of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

DEC. 11: – Sacred to Arianrhod.

DEC. 12: – Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mother of God and Mother of the Oppressed.

DEC. 13: – Feast of the Light-bringer – Honoring Goddess as Juno Lucina (Old Roman).

DEC. 14 – 28: Halcyon Days: time of tranquility.

DEC. 17: – Yoruba / Santeria feast of Orisha Babalu Aye – Healer of deadly diseases.
– Roman/Greek: Saturnalia begins festival to Saturn/Kronos as Harvest and Father Time with His scythe

DEC. 18: – Sacred to Epona.

DEC. 19: – Modresnact: Norse Mothers Night Festival.

DEC. 21: – thru 25 – Old Egyptian festival of Isis, the Magna Mater (Mother of God and Mother of All) giving birth to God Horus.
– YULE SABBAT: Winter Solstice; Return of the Sun God.

DEC. 23: – Sacred to Hathor.

DEC. 24: – Celtic Tree Month – Month of Reed ends, Tree Month of Elder begins.
– Celtic / German Nodlaig Eve/Modresnach: Night of the Great Mother

DEC. 25: – European Feasts of Herne, Frey, Dionysus – Birth of the God, the Light of the World.

DEC. 25: thru Jan 5: Old Norse festival honoring Saturn, Dionysus, Frey and Freya (Deities of Fertility) and the birth of the new-born Baldur (God of Light) with evergreens, fires, and feasting.

DEC. 28: – Sacred to Freya.

DEC. 31: Hogmanay—New Year’s Eve; Crone preparing to depart, winter at its height; Crone, old and withered year changes at midnight into young and fresh New Year. Hag’s Eve.
– Egyptian Lucky Day of Sekmet – Sekmet, the ravaging lioness, with her burning solar eye, is the destroyer/devourer aspect of the goddess.

 

15 Must-See Astronomy Events in the December Night Sky (2021)

From spacetourismguide.com

While December is a month of extremes – cold and dark in the northern hemisphere and opposite in the southern – it’s also one of the best months of the year for amateur astronomers and stargazers.

A series of meteor showers occur in such quick succession that you might almost grow tired of wishing on ‘shooting stars;’ there are also good opportunities to spot solar system neighbors, watch the celestial dance of our Sun and Moon, and mark the astronomical calendar with the December solstice. Whatever drives you out to enjoy the night sky this month, be sure to bundle up – even in the southern hemisphere, it gets chilly at night.

If you need a telescope to help enjoy this month’s night sky events, we have a guide to the best stargazing telescopes and binoculars. On that page you’ll find resources on how to find a good piece of astronomical equipment that fits your budget and helps unlock the wonders of the December night sky. Ready to explore? Read on for all of the December night sky events you can see in the coming month.

Table of Contents

December 2 – Peak of the Pheonicid Meteor Shower

December 4 – Total Solar Eclipse

December 6 – Peak of the φ-Cassiopeid Meteor Shower

December 7 – Conjunction of the Moon & Saturn

December 7 – Peak of the Puppid-Velid Meteor Shower

December 7 – Venus at Greatest Brightness

December 9 – Conjunction of the Moon & Jupiter

December 9 – Peak of the Monocerotid Meteor Shower

December 10 – Asteroid 44 Nysa at Opposition

December 12 – Peak of the σ-Hydrid Meteor Shower

December 14 – Peak of the Geminid Meteor Shower

December 16 – Peak of the Comae Berenicid Meteor Shower

December 19 – Peak of the December Leonis Minorid Meteor Shower

December 21 – December Solstice

December 22 – Peak of the Ursid Meteor Shower

December 1 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1913 Ford Motor Company institutes world’s 1st moving assembly line for the Model T Ford

1934 Leningrad mayor Sergey Kirov is assassinated and Joseph Stalin uses it as an excuse to begin his Great Purge of 1934-38

1955 Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to move to the back of a bus and give her seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama

1988 Benazir Bhutto named 1st female Prime Minister of a Muslim country (Pakistan)

Today’s Historical Events

772 Pope Adrian I [Hadrian I] elected

800 Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican.

1167 Northern Italian towns form Lombardi League

1420 Henry V of England enters Paris

1566 Spanish King Philip II names Fernando Alvarez, duke of Alva

1626 Pasha Muhammad ibn Farukh, tyrannical governor of Jerusalem, driven out

1640 Portugal regains independence after 60 years of Spanish rule following a revolution by Portuguese nobility; the Portuguese Restoration War begins and lasts until 1668 with recognition by Spain of the country’s independence

1641 Massachusetts becomes the first colony to give statutory recognition to slavery

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1949 WBNG TV channel 12 in Binghamton, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting

1949 WKTV TV channel 2 in Utica, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 WAIM (now WAXA) TV channel 40 in Anderson, SC (IND) 1st broadcast

1953 WCSH TV channel 6 in Portland, ME (NBC) begins broadcasting

1953 Hugh Hefner publishes 1st edition of Playboy magazine, featuring Marilyn Monroe as the magazine’s 1st centerfold

1956 Musical comedy film “The Girl Can’t Help It” starring Jayne Mansfield with cameos by rock ‘n’ roll stars Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent

1957 Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly and the Crickets debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

1962 KGMB TV channel 9 in Honolulu, HI (CBS) begins broadcasting

Today’s Historical Music Events

1822 Franz Liszt, aged 11, debuts as a pianist in Vienna

1924 George and Ira Gershwin‘s musical “Lady Be Good” premieres in NYC

1944 Béla Bartòk’s Concerto for orchestra, premieres

1951 Benjamin Britten‘s opera “Billy Budd” premieres in London

1956 “Candide” opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 73 performances

1958 “Flower Drum Song” opens at St James Theater NYC for 602 performances

1960 Paul McCartney and Pete Best arrested then deported from Hamburg, Germany accused of attempted arson

1968 “Promises Promises” opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 1281 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1653 An athlete from Croydon is reported to have run 20 miles from St Albans to London in less than 90 minutes

1912 Boston Braves MLB franchise owner James Gaffney buys the Allston Golf Club on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston with a plan to construct a ball park there; ground breaking for Braves Field starts on March 20, 1915

1923 Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Queen’s University retains title with 54-0 win over Regina Rugby Club; biggest Grey Cup victory margin ever

1924 The Boston Bruins beat fellow expansion Montreal Maroons, 2-1 at Boston Arena; first NHL game to be played in the United States

1928 National League President John Heydler first to propose a baseball rule change calling for a 10th man, or ‘designated hitter’, to bat in place of the pitcher; ironically, the NL vote in favour of proposal, but the American League turn it down

1928 CFL Grey Cup, AAA Grounds, Hamilton: Hamilton Tigers win 3rd Cup with 30-0 shutout of Regina Roughriders

1930 NHL drops 20 minute slashing-about-the-head penalty

1934 Toronto Maple Leafs beat St. Louis Eagles, 4-3 to set an NHL record for the most wins to start the season with 8; Leafs do it again 59 years later; won 10 in a row to start 1993-94 season