December 29
1170 - Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights acting under the orders of Henry II.
1808 - Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina.
1812 - During the War of 1812, the American frigate USS Constitution engaged and severely damaged the British frigate HMS Java off Brazil.
1845 - Texas became the 28th state.
1851 - The first Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) opened in Boston.
1890 - The last major battle of the Indian Wars, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, took place with hundreds of Indian men, women and children massacred by U.S. troops.
1916 - Gregory Rasputin, the monk who wielded powerful influence over the Russian court, was murdered by a group of noblemen.
1937 - The Constitution of Ireland, changing the Irish Free State into Eire, went into effect.
1940 - Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London during World War II.
1972 - Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed into the Florida Everglades near Miami International Airport, killing 101 of the 176 people aboard.
1975 - A bomb exploded in the main terminal of New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people (it’s never been determined who was responsible).
1989 - Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia.
1992 - The United States and Russia announced agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.
1996 - A peace agreement was signed, ending 36 years of conflict in Guatemala.
1998 - Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.
1999 - The Nasdaq composite index closed above 4,000 for the first time, ending the day at 4,041.46.
2006 - Word reached th e United States of the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by hanging. (Because of the time difference, it was the morning of Dec. 30 in Iraq when the execution took place.) In a statement, President George W. Bush called Saddam’s execution an important milestone on Iraq’s road to democracy.
2010 - The Obama administration expelled Venezuela’s ambassador to the United States, a day after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he would not allow diplomat Larry Palmer to become the U.S. ambassador to his country.
2017 - Puerto Rico authorities said nearly half of the power customers in the U.S. territory still lacked electricity, more than three months after Hurricane Maria.
2019 - A man opened fire at a church near Fort Worth, Texas, killing two people before being shot and killed by a member of the church’s volunteer security team.
Birthdays
22 - Paris Berelc (actress)
25 - Ross Lynch (actor/singer)
25 - Mariah Rose Faith (actress)
31 - Jane Levy (actress)
37 - Jessica Andrews (country singer)
38 - Alison Brie (actress)
41 - Diego Luna (actor)
43 - Katherine Moennig (actress)
45 - Shawn Hatosy (actor)
46 - Maria Dizzia (actress)
48 - Jude Law (actor)
50 - Kevin Weisman (actor)
51 - Patrick Fischler (actor)
51 - Jennifer Ehle (actress)
53 - Ashleigh Banfield (news anchor)
54 - Jason Gould (actor)
54 - Mystro Clark (actor/comedian)
56 - Michael Cudlitz (actor)
61 - Paula Poundstone (comedian)
61 - Patricia Clarkson (actress)
69 - Yvonne Ellieman (actress/singer)
73 - Ted Danson (actor)
81 - Ed Bruce (country singer)
82 - Jon Voight (actor)
83 - Barbara Steele (actress)
88- Inga Swenson (actress)
98 - Rose Lee Maphis (country singer)
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Today in Sports History - December 29
1934 - The first regular-season college basketball game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York University defeated Notre Dame 25-18.
1937 - Babe Ruth returned to baseball as the new manager of the Class D, DeLand Reds of the Florida State League. Ruth had retired from baseball in 1935.
1957 - The Detroit Lions defeat the Cleveland Browns 50-14 to win the NFL championship.
1961 - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scores 60 points in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
1963 - The Chicago Bears defeat the New York Giants 14-10 in the NFL championship game.
1965 - CBS acquired the rights to the NFL regular-season games in 1966 and 1967, with an option for 1968, for $18.8 million per year.
1968 - The Baltimore Colts defeat the Cleveland Browns 34-0 to win the NFL championship.
1968 - The New York Jets defeat the Oakland Raiders 27-23 to win the AFL championship.
2003 - #22 Nebraska defeats Michigan State 17-3 to win the Alamo Bowl under interim head coach Bo Pelini. NU finishes the season with a 10-3 record and ranked #19 (AP) and #18 (Coaches) in the final polls.
2007 - The New England Patriots became the first NFL team in 35 years to finish a regular season undefeated when they defeated the New York Giants 38-35 to improve to 16-0, joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only other team to finish with a perfect regular season.
2007 - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sets a then-NFL record by throwing his 50th touchdown pass of the season.
2018 - In the College Football Playoff semifinal games, #1 Alabama defeated #4 Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bow and #2 Clemson defeated #3 Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl.
1170 - Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights acting under the orders of Henry II.
1808 - Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina.
1812 - During the War of 1812, the American frigate USS Constitution engaged and severely damaged the British frigate HMS Java off Brazil.
1845 - Texas became the 28th state.
1851 - The first Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) opened in Boston.
1890 - The last major battle of the Indian Wars, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, took place with hundreds of Indian men, women and children massacred by U.S. troops.
1916 - Gregory Rasputin, the monk who wielded powerful influence over the Russian court, was murdered by a group of noblemen.
1937 - The Constitution of Ireland, changing the Irish Free State into Eire, went into effect.
1940 - Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London during World War II.
1972 - Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed into the Florida Everglades near Miami International Airport, killing 101 of the 176 people aboard.
1975 - A bomb exploded in the main terminal of New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people (it’s never been determined who was responsible).
1989 - Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia.
1992 - The United States and Russia announced agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.
1996 - A peace agreement was signed, ending 36 years of conflict in Guatemala.
1998 - Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.
1999 - The Nasdaq composite index closed above 4,000 for the first time, ending the day at 4,041.46.
2006 - Word reached th e United States of the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by hanging. (Because of the time difference, it was the morning of Dec. 30 in Iraq when the execution took place.) In a statement, President George W. Bush called Saddam’s execution an important milestone on Iraq’s road to democracy.
2010 - The Obama administration expelled Venezuela’s ambassador to the United States, a day after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he would not allow diplomat Larry Palmer to become the U.S. ambassador to his country.
2017 - Puerto Rico authorities said nearly half of the power customers in the U.S. territory still lacked electricity, more than three months after Hurricane Maria.
2019 - A man opened fire at a church near Fort Worth, Texas, killing two people before being shot and killed by a member of the church’s volunteer security team.
Birthdays
22 - Paris Berelc (actress)
25 - Ross Lynch (actor/singer)
25 - Mariah Rose Faith (actress)
31 - Jane Levy (actress)
37 - Jessica Andrews (country singer)
38 - Alison Brie (actress)
41 - Diego Luna (actor)
43 - Katherine Moennig (actress)
45 - Shawn Hatosy (actor)
46 - Maria Dizzia (actress)
48 - Jude Law (actor)
50 - Kevin Weisman (actor)
51 - Patrick Fischler (actor)
51 - Jennifer Ehle (actress)
53 - Ashleigh Banfield (news anchor)
54 - Jason Gould (actor)
54 - Mystro Clark (actor/comedian)
56 - Michael Cudlitz (actor)
61 - Paula Poundstone (comedian)
61 - Patricia Clarkson (actress)
69 - Yvonne Ellieman (actress/singer)
73 - Ted Danson (actor)
81 - Ed Bruce (country singer)
82 - Jon Voight (actor)
83 - Barbara Steele (actress)
88- Inga Swenson (actress)
98 - Rose Lee Maphis (country singer)
==============================================
Today in Sports History - December 29
1934 - The first regular-season college basketball game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York University defeated Notre Dame 25-18.
1937 - Babe Ruth returned to baseball as the new manager of the Class D, DeLand Reds of the Florida State League. Ruth had retired from baseball in 1935.
1957 - The Detroit Lions defeat the Cleveland Browns 50-14 to win the NFL championship.
1961 - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scores 60 points in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
1963 - The Chicago Bears defeat the New York Giants 14-10 in the NFL championship game.
1965 - CBS acquired the rights to the NFL regular-season games in 1966 and 1967, with an option for 1968, for $18.8 million per year.
1968 - The Baltimore Colts defeat the Cleveland Browns 34-0 to win the NFL championship.
1968 - The New York Jets defeat the Oakland Raiders 27-23 to win the AFL championship.
2003 - #22 Nebraska defeats Michigan State 17-3 to win the Alamo Bowl under interim head coach Bo Pelini. NU finishes the season with a 10-3 record and ranked #19 (AP) and #18 (Coaches) in the final polls.
2007 - The New England Patriots became the first NFL team in 35 years to finish a regular season undefeated when they defeated the New York Giants 38-35 to improve to 16-0, joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only other team to finish with a perfect regular season.
2007 - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sets a then-NFL record by throwing his 50th touchdown pass of the season.
2018 - In the College Football Playoff semifinal games, #1 Alabama defeated #4 Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bow and #2 Clemson defeated #3 Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl.