DECEMBER 30

Contents

Events

Births

Deaths

Holidays and observances

External links

Events

★ 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield.

★ 1816 - The Treaty of St. Louis is proclaimed.

★ 1853 - Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest.

★ 1853 - A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an Iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London.

★ 1862 - ''USS Monitor'' sinks off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

★ 1879 - ''The Pirates of Penzance'' is first performed (Paignton, Devon, England).

★ 1880 - The Transvaal becomes a republic and Paul Kruger, its first president.

★ 1896 - José Rizal was executed by firing squad in Manila.

★ 1897 - Natal annexes Zululand.

★ 1903 - A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills 600.

★ 1905 - Former Governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated near his home in Caldwell, Idaho.

★ 1906 - The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, which later laid down the foundations of Pakistan.

★ 1919 - Lincoln's Inn in London admits its first female bar student.

★ 1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed.

★ 1924 - Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galaxies.

★ 1927 - The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo.

★ 1936 - The United Auto Workers union stages its first sit-down strike.

★ 1940 - California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.

★ 1943 - Subhash Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair.

★ 1944 - King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving his throne vacant.

★ 1947 - King Michael of Romania forced to abdicate by the Soviet-backed Communist government of Romania.

★ 1953 - Television Technology: The first ever NTSC color television sets go on sale for about USD at $1,175 each from RCA.

★ 1965 - Ferdinand Marcos becomes President of the Philippines.

★ 1972 - Vietnam War: The US halts heavy bombing of North Vietnam.

★ 1977 - Ted Bundy escapes from his cell in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

★ 1981 - Wayne Gretzky scores his 50th goal in 39 games, still a National Hockey League record.

★ 1993 - Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations.

★ 1995 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. This equalled the record set at Braemar, Aberdeenshire on February 11, 1895 and January 10, 1982.

★ 1996 - In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26.

★ 1996 - Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel.

★ 1997 - In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people are killed from four villages.

★ 2000 - Rizal Day Bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a span of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.

★ 2003 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft recuses himself and his office from the Plame affair.

★ 2004 - A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina kills 194.

★ 2005 - Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin.

★ 2006 - Madrid Barajas International Airport is bombed.

Births

★ 39 - Roman Emperor Titus (d. 81)

★ 1204 - Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd Hakam al Qurashi, ruler of Minorca (d. 1282)

★ 1552 - Simon Forman, English occultist and astrologer (d. 1611)

★ 1642 - Vicenzo da Filicaja, Italian poet (d. 1707)

★ 1673 - Ahmed III, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1736)

★ 1678 - William Croft, English composer (d. 1727)

★ 1722 - Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (d. 1770)

★ 1724 - Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée, French painter (d. 1805)

★ 1785 - Dorothea Lieven, Russian noblewoman (d. 1857)

★ 1819 - Theodor Fontane, German writer (d. 1898)

★ 1838 - Émile Loubet, 7th President of France (d.1929)

★ 1851 - Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman and politician (d. 1929)

★ 1853 - André Messager, French composer (d. 1929)

★ 1865 - Rudyard Kipling, British writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1936)

★ 1869 - Stephen Butler Leacock, British-born, Canadian writer and economist (d. 1944)

★ 1873 - Al Smith, American politician (d. 1944)

★ 1878 - William Aberhart, Canadian politician (d. 1943)

★ 1879 - Sri Ramana Maharshi, Indian philosopher (d. 1950)

★ 1883 - Lester Patrick, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1960)

★ 1884 - Hideki Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1948)

★ 1890 - Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, President of Mexico (d. 1973)

★ 1897 - Alfredo Bracchi, Italian author (d. 1976)

★ 1899 - Helge Ingstad, Norwegian explorer (d. 2001)

★ 1904 - Dmitri Kabalevsky, Russian composer (d. 1987)

★ 1906 - Carol Reed, English film director (d. 1976)

★ 1910 - Paul Bowles, American composer and author (d. 1999)

★ 1911 - Jeanette Nolan, American actress (d. 1998)

★ 1913 - Elyne Mitchell, Australian author (d. 2002)

★ 1913 - Lucio Agostini, Italian-born Canadian conductor and composer (d. 1996)

★ 1914 - Bert Parks, American television host (d. 1992)

★ 1914 - Jo Van Fleet, American actress (d. 1996)

★ 1917 - Seymour Melman, American industrial engineer (d. 2004)

★ 1920 - Jack Lord, American actor (d. 1998)

★ 1921 - Rashid Karami, Lebanese statesman (d. 1987)

★ 1927 - Bernard Barrow, American actor (d. 1993)

★ 1928 - Bo Diddley, American singer and musician

★ 1929 - Barbara Nichols, American actress (d. 1976)

★ 1931 - Skeeter Davis, American singer (d. 2004)

★ 1934 - John Norris Bahcall, American physicist (d. 2005)

★ 1934 - Joseph Bologna, American actor

★ 1934 - Joseph P. Hoar, American general

★ 1934 - Del Shannon, American singer (d. 1990)

★ 1934 - Russ Tamblyn, American actor, dancer, and singer

★ 1935 - Omar Bongo, President of Gabon

★ 1935 - Sandy Koufax, American baseball player

★ 1935 - Jack Riley, American actor

★ 1937 - Gordon Banks, English footballer

★ 1937 - John Hartford, American musician (d. 2001)

★ 1937 - Jim Marshall, American football player

★ 1937 - Noel Paul Stookey, American folk singer (Peter, Paul & Mary)

★ 1940 - James Burrows, American television director

★ 1941 - Mel Renfro, American football player

★ 1942 - Vladimir Bukovsky, Russian author and dissident

★ 1942 - Michael Nesmith, American singer and musician (The Monkees)

★ 1942 - Janko Prunk, Slovenian historian

★ 1942 - Fred Ward, American actor

★ 1942 - Guy Edwards, British racing driver

★ 1945 - Davy Jones, English singer (The Monkees)

★ 1945 - Concetta Tomei, American actress

★ 1945 - Vernon Wells, Australian actor

★ 1946 - Patti Smith, American singer

★ 1947 - Michael Burns, American historian

★ 1947 - Jeff Lynne, English musician (ELO)

★ 1949 - Jim Flaherty, Canadian politician

★ 1950 - Lewis Shiner, American sci-fi/fantasy author

★ 1951 - Doug Allder, English footballer

★ 1952 - June Anderson, American soprano

★ 1953 - Bill Kazmaier, American powerlifter

★ 1953 - Harald Schmautz, German-born journalist

★ 1953 - Meredith Vieira, American television journalist

★ 1955 - Dindo Yogo, Congolese musician (d. 2000)

★ 1956 - Suzy Bogguss, American singer

★ 1956 - Sheryl Lee Ralph, American actress

★ 1957 - Matt Lauer, American newscaster

★ 1958 - Rod Harrington, English darts player

★ 1958 - Steven L. Smith, American astronaut

★ 1959 - Tracey Ullman, English actress and singer

★ 1961 - Douglas Coupland, Canadian author

★ 1961 - Sean Hannity, American talk radio host

★ 1961 - Ben Johnson, Canadian athlete

★ 1962 - Henry Cho, Korean-American comedian

★ 1963 - Chandler Burr, American author

★ 1963 - Michelle Douglas, Canadian human rights activist

★ 1963 - Milan Šrejber, Czech tennis player

★ 1964 - Sylvie Moreau, Quebec television and film actress

★ 1965 - Heidi Fleiss, American madam

★ 1967 - Carl Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler

★ 1969 - Dave England, American television personality

★ 1969 - Jay Kay, English musician (Jamiroquai)

★ 1971 - Daniel Sunjata, American actor

★ 1971 - Rahul Dravid, Indian cricket captain

★ 1972 - Kerry Collins, American football player

★ 1972 - Paul Keegan, Irish footballer

★ 1972 - Steven Wiig, American actor and musician

★ 1973 - Jason Behr, American actor

★ 1973 - Ato Boldon, Trinidadian athlete

★ 1973 - Nacho Vidal, Spanish porn star

★ 1974 - Johanna Sällström, Swedish actress (d. 2007)

★ 1975 - Scott Chipperfield, Australian soccer player

★ 1975 - Tiger Woods, American golfer

★ 1976 - Meredith Monroe, American actress

★ 1976 - Alex A. Quinn, American actor

★ 1976 - A.J. Pierzynski, American baseball player

★ 1977 - Kenyon Martin, American basketball player

★ 1977 - Scott Lucas, Australian rules footballer

★ 1977 - Laila Ali, American boxer

★ 1977 - Grant Balfour, Australian baseball player

★ 1977 - Tom Welling, American Actor

★ 1978 - Tyrese, American singer and actor

★ 1978 - Zbigniew Robert Promiński, Polish drummer

★ 1979 - Flávio Amado, Angolan footballer

★ 1980 - Eliza Dushku, American actress

★ 1980 - Kenny Kwan, Hong Kong singer

★ 1981 - Ali Al Habsi, Omani footballer

★ 1981 - Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer

★ 1981 - Haley Paige, American pornstar

★ 1982 - Kristin Kreuk, Canadian actress

★ 1984 - LeBron James, American basketball player

★ 1984 - Randall Azofeifa, Costa Rican footballer

★ 1985 - Lars Boom, Dutch cyclist

★ 1989 - Ryan Sheckler, American professional skateboarder

★ 1990 - unouomedude, American musician

Deaths

★ 1218 - Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford, English politician (b. 1162)

★ 1460 - Richard, Duke of York, claimant to the English throne (killed in battle) (b. 1411)

★ 1525 - Jacob Fugger, German banker (b. 1459)

★ 1572 - Galeazzo Alessi, Italian architect (b. 1512)

★ 1573 - Giovanni Battista Giraldi, Italian writer (b. 1504)

★ 1591 - Pope Innocent IX (b. 1519)

★ 1621 - Saint Job of Maniava, Ukrainian Orthodox Saint (b. 1550)

★ 1640 - John Francis Regis, French saint (b. 1597)

★ 1644 - Jan Baptist van Helmont, Flemish chemist (b. 1577)

★ 1662 - Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria (b. 1628)

★ 1691 - Robert Boyle, Irish scientist (b. 1627)

★ 1769 - Nicholas Taaffe, 6th Viscount Taaffe, Austrian soldier (b. 1685)

★ 1803 - Francis Lewis, signer of the American Declaration of Independence (b. 1713)

★ 1896 - José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines (b. 1861) (executed)

★ 1908 - Thomas-Alfred Bernier, Canadian lawyer, journalist and senator (b. 1844)

★ 1941 - El Lissitzky, Russian artist and architect (b. 1890)

★ 1944 - Romain Rolland, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866)

★ 1954 - Archduke Eugen of Austria, Austrian field marshal (b. 1863)

★ 1955 - Rex Ingamells, Australian poet (b. 1913)

★ 1967 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1887)

★ 1968 - Trygve Lie, Norwegian politician, first United Nations Secretary General (b. 1896)

★ 1970 - Sonny Liston, American boxer (b. 1932)

★ 1971 - Melba Rae, American actress (''Search for Tomorrow'') (b. 1922)

★ 1979 - Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902)

★ 1982 - Kristin Kreuk, Canadian Actress

★ 1984 - Massa (gorilla), oldest gorilla on record (b. 1930)

★ 1986 - Era Bell Thompson, American journalist (b. 1905)

★ 1988 - Yuli Daniel, Russian writer (b. 1925)

★ 1989 - Lenore Lemmon, wife of George Reeves (b. 1923)

★ 1992 - Ling-Ling, panda given to the USA by China (b. 1969)

★ 1993 - Mack David, American lyricist and songwriter (b. 1912)

★ 1993 - Irving "Swifty" Lazar, American Hollywood talent agent (b. 1907)

★ 1993 - Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist (b. 1907)

★ 1994 - Dmitri Ivanenko, Russian physicist (b. 1904)

★ 1994 - Maureen Starkey, wife of Ringo Starr (b. 1946)

★ 1995 - Doris Grau, American actress (b. 1924)

★ 1996 - Lew Ayres, American actor (b. 1908)

★ 1996 - Jack Nance, American actor (b. 1943)

★ 1997 - Shinichi Hoshi, Japanese novelist (b. 1926)

★ 1998 - George Webb, English actor (b. 1911)

★ 1998 - Johnny Moore, American singer (The Drifters) (b. 1934)

★ 1999 - Fritz Leonhardt, German structural engineer (b. 1909)

★ 1999 - Sarah Knauss, American, once considered the world's oldest living person (b. 1880)

★ 2000 - Julius J. Epstein, American screenwriter (b. 1909)

★ 2002 - Mary Brian, American actress (b. 1906)

★ 2002 - Mary Wesley, English novelist (b. 1912)

★ 2003 - David Bale, South African-born activist (cancer) (b. 1941)

★ 2003 - John Gregory Dunne, American writer (b. 1932)

★ 2003 - Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer and actress (b. 1963)

★ 2004 - Artie Shaw, American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader (b. 1910)

★ 2005 - Rona Jaffe, American author (b. 1932)

★ 2006 - Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President (b. 1937) (executed)

Holidays and observances

★ The fifth day of Christmas in Western Christianity.

★ R.C. Saints - Pope Felix I (optional memorial), Saint Sabinus

★ Philippines - Rizal Day

★ Freedom Day for Scientologists.

External links

★ BBC: On This Day

★

★ On This Day in Canada
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