December 8
1854 - Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
1886 - The American Federation of Labor was founded at a convention of union leaders in Columbus, Ohio.
1941 - Congress declared war on Japan a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and entered World War II.
1949 - Communist attacks forced the Chinese Nationalist government to flee to the island of Formosa (Taiwan).
1978 - Former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir died.
1980 - John Lennon, former member of the Beatles, was shot and killed in New York City by a deranged fan.
1987 - President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the first treaty to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the two superpowers.
1993 - President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) into law.
2014 - The U.S. and NATO ceremonially ended their combat mission in Afghanistan, 13 years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks spared their invasion of the country to topple the Taliban-led government.
2016 - John Glenn, whose 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth made him an all-American hero and propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate, died in Columbus, Ohio, at age 95.
Birthdays
28 - Teala Dunn (actress)
31 - AnnaSophia Robb (actress)
39 - Dwight Howard (basketball player)
40 - Sam Hunt (singer)
42 - Nicki Minaj (singer)
45 - Ingrid Michaelson (singer)
46 - Ian Somerhalder (actor)
48 - Dominic Monaghan (actor)
56 - Michael Cole (sportscaster)
56 - Mike Mussina (baseball player)
59 - Teresa Weatherspoon (basketball player)
60 - Teri Hatcher (actress)
62 - Wendell Pierce (actor)
71 - Kim Basinger (actress)
73 - Bill Bryson (author)
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Today in Sports History - December 8
1863 - Tom King of England defeated American John Heenan and became the first world heavyweight champion.
1940 - The Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the most lopsided NFL championship game in league history.
1942 - Georgia running back Frank Sinkwich wins the Heisman Trophy.
1948 - Southern Methodist running back Doak Walker wins the Heisman Trophy.
1953 - Notre Dame running back Johnny Lattner wins the Heisman Trophy.
1955 - Ohio State running back Howard Cassady wins the Heisman Trophy.
1961 - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scores 78 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
1973 - Penn State running back John Cappelletti wins the Heisman Trophy.
1977 - Texas running back Earl Campbell wins the Heisman Trophy.
1987 - Ron Hextall (Philadelphia Flyers) became the first goalie in NHL history to shoot and score a goal. His empty net goal made him only the second goalie to get credit for a goal in the NHL.
2000 - Mario Lemieux announced to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he planned to return to the National Hockey League (NHL) as a player at age 35. He would be the first modern owner-player in U.S. pro sports.
2003 - The Orlando Magic ended their 19-game losing streak by beating the Phoenix Suns 105-98.
2007 - Florida quarterback Tim Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy.
2012 - Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.
2017 - Japanese pitching and hitting star Shohei Ohtani announced he would sign with the Los Angeles Angels.
2018 - Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray wins the Heisman Trophy.
2022 - Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner in a high-profile prisoner swap with the U.S., which released Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
1854 - Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
1886 - The American Federation of Labor was founded at a convention of union leaders in Columbus, Ohio.
1941 - Congress declared war on Japan a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and entered World War II.
1949 - Communist attacks forced the Chinese Nationalist government to flee to the island of Formosa (Taiwan).
1978 - Former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir died.
1980 - John Lennon, former member of the Beatles, was shot and killed in New York City by a deranged fan.
1987 - President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the first treaty to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the two superpowers.
1993 - President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) into law.
2014 - The U.S. and NATO ceremonially ended their combat mission in Afghanistan, 13 years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks spared their invasion of the country to topple the Taliban-led government.
2016 - John Glenn, whose 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth made him an all-American hero and propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate, died in Columbus, Ohio, at age 95.
Birthdays
28 - Teala Dunn (actress)
31 - AnnaSophia Robb (actress)
39 - Dwight Howard (basketball player)
40 - Sam Hunt (singer)
42 - Nicki Minaj (singer)
45 - Ingrid Michaelson (singer)
46 - Ian Somerhalder (actor)
48 - Dominic Monaghan (actor)
56 - Michael Cole (sportscaster)
56 - Mike Mussina (baseball player)
59 - Teresa Weatherspoon (basketball player)
60 - Teri Hatcher (actress)
62 - Wendell Pierce (actor)
71 - Kim Basinger (actress)
73 - Bill Bryson (author)
===============================
Today in Sports History - December 8
1863 - Tom King of England defeated American John Heenan and became the first world heavyweight champion.
1940 - The Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the most lopsided NFL championship game in league history.
1942 - Georgia running back Frank Sinkwich wins the Heisman Trophy.
1948 - Southern Methodist running back Doak Walker wins the Heisman Trophy.
1953 - Notre Dame running back Johnny Lattner wins the Heisman Trophy.
1955 - Ohio State running back Howard Cassady wins the Heisman Trophy.
1961 - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scores 78 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
1973 - Penn State running back John Cappelletti wins the Heisman Trophy.
1977 - Texas running back Earl Campbell wins the Heisman Trophy.
1987 - Ron Hextall (Philadelphia Flyers) became the first goalie in NHL history to shoot and score a goal. His empty net goal made him only the second goalie to get credit for a goal in the NHL.
2000 - Mario Lemieux announced to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he planned to return to the National Hockey League (NHL) as a player at age 35. He would be the first modern owner-player in U.S. pro sports.
2003 - The Orlando Magic ended their 19-game losing streak by beating the Phoenix Suns 105-98.
2007 - Florida quarterback Tim Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy.
2012 - Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.
2017 - Japanese pitching and hitting star Shohei Ohtani announced he would sign with the Los Angeles Angels.
2018 - Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray wins the Heisman Trophy.
2022 - Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner in a high-profile prisoner swap with the U.S., which released Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
