December 20
1790 - Samuel Slater builds the nation's first cotton mill at Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
1803 - The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for approximately $15 million.
1860 - South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union.
1946 - The classic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life" premiered at the Globe Theater in New York City.
1968 - Author John Steinbeck dies at age 66.
1986 - Three Black men were attacked by a group of white youth in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens in New York City, resulting in the death of one of the men, Michael Griffith.
1987 - More than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro Island.
1989 - The United States launched Operation Just Cause and invades Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.
1996 - Astronomer Carl Sagan died at age 62.
2019 - President Donald Trump signs the National Defense Authorization Act into law, which established a new branch of the military, the United States Space Force.
Birthdays
22 - Isabella Ferreira (actress)
27 - Anok Yai (model)
30 - DaniLeigh (singer)
34 - JoJo (singer)
40 - Bob Morley (actor)
41 - Jonah Hill (actor)
58 - Chris Robinson (singer)
70 - Michael Badalucco (actor)
70 - Sandra Cisneros (actress)
76 - Alan Parsons (musician)
78 - Dick Wolf (television producer)
79 - Peter Criss (musician)
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Today in Sports History - December 20
1921 - The American League votes to return the World Series to a best-of-seven format while the National League votes for best-of-nine; Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis casts the tie-breaking vote in favor of best-of-seven.
1925 - The Chicago Cardinals win the NFL championship and the Pottsville Maroons are suspended for having played an unsanctioned game.
1946 - Sugar Ray Robinson was crowned welterweight champion at Madison Square Garden.
1966 - The NBA granted a franchise to Seattle.
1973 - Henri Richard (Montreal Canadiens) scored his 1,000th point.
1983 - Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) became the 10th NHL player to score 500 goals.
1985 - Denis Potvin became the highest defenseman scorer when he got his 916th point.
1985 - Sportscaster Howard Cosell retires from television sports after 20 years with ABC.
1991 - The NHL approves the expansion franchises Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators.
1998 - Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers) became the first NFL player to throw at least 30 touchdown passes for five seasons.
1790 - Samuel Slater builds the nation's first cotton mill at Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
1803 - The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for approximately $15 million.
1860 - South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union.
1946 - The classic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life" premiered at the Globe Theater in New York City.
1968 - Author John Steinbeck dies at age 66.
1986 - Three Black men were attacked by a group of white youth in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens in New York City, resulting in the death of one of the men, Michael Griffith.
1987 - More than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro Island.
1989 - The United States launched Operation Just Cause and invades Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.
1996 - Astronomer Carl Sagan died at age 62.
2019 - President Donald Trump signs the National Defense Authorization Act into law, which established a new branch of the military, the United States Space Force.
Birthdays
22 - Isabella Ferreira (actress)
27 - Anok Yai (model)
30 - DaniLeigh (singer)
34 - JoJo (singer)
40 - Bob Morley (actor)
41 - Jonah Hill (actor)
58 - Chris Robinson (singer)
70 - Michael Badalucco (actor)
70 - Sandra Cisneros (actress)
76 - Alan Parsons (musician)
78 - Dick Wolf (television producer)
79 - Peter Criss (musician)
============================
Today in Sports History - December 20
1921 - The American League votes to return the World Series to a best-of-seven format while the National League votes for best-of-nine; Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis casts the tie-breaking vote in favor of best-of-seven.
1925 - The Chicago Cardinals win the NFL championship and the Pottsville Maroons are suspended for having played an unsanctioned game.
1946 - Sugar Ray Robinson was crowned welterweight champion at Madison Square Garden.
1966 - The NBA granted a franchise to Seattle.
1973 - Henri Richard (Montreal Canadiens) scored his 1,000th point.
1983 - Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) became the 10th NHL player to score 500 goals.
1985 - Denis Potvin became the highest defenseman scorer when he got his 916th point.
1985 - Sportscaster Howard Cosell retires from television sports after 20 years with ABC.
1991 - The NHL approves the expansion franchises Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators.
1998 - Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers) became the first NFL player to throw at least 30 touchdown passes for five seasons.
