# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 50
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/983 "2017-12-28T04:59:09Z")
**Dec 27th, 1932:** Radio City Music Hall opens ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/984 "2017-12-28T05:07:12Z")
**December 27, 1948** : actor Gérard Depardieu is born in Châteauroux, France. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/985 "2017-12-28T07:45:47Z")
**December 28, 1879** : [The Tay Bridge Disaster.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://taybridgedisaster.co.uk/&ved=0ahUKEwimibyEmKzYAhWBg-AKHRp5AOEQFgj7ATAq&usg=AOvVaw3AKSz-4Na8nwEcxF16bx5V) The Tay bridge in Scotland collapses in heavy wind, taking a train of six cars into the frigid waters of the Firth of Tay. At least 75 lives are lost. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/986 "2017-12-28T08:57:04Z")
**December 28, 1973** : President Richard Nixon signs into law, the Endangered Species Act. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/987 "2017-12-29T05:39:30Z")
**December 29, 1876** : [The Ashtabula Railroad Disaster .](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://articles.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/12/saga_of_ashtabula_train_disast.amp&ved=0ahUKEwibkbOXva7YAhVCMd8KHTuMAJYQFgjNATAg&usg=AOvVaw0ve1ivGJnSnMuEO1hcajVk&cf=1) The bridge over the Ashtabula River in Ohio collapses in a heavy blizzard, taking a train of eleven cars into the frigid shallow waters seventy feet below. 92 lives are lost. At the time this was the deadliest rail accident in American history. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/988 "2017-12-29T08:30:55Z")
**December 29, 1959** : actress [Patricia Clarkson](https://goo.gl/images/W8BFzb) is born. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/989 "2017-12-30T05:40:53Z")
\*\*December 30, 1915 \*\* The British passenger liner [SS \*Persia \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://greatwarlondon.wordpress.com/2015/12/30/the-loss-of-the-persia/amp/&ved=0ahUKEwiG7-XGgrHYAhXhRN8KHdQ6DuAQFgiDATAV&usg=AOvVaw2w5VxePQIBH2MPQnTcWbCW&cf=1) is sunk off Crete by a German U-boat. 334 aboard are killed. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/990 "2017-12-30T07:04:20Z")
**December 29, 1845** : the 28th state, Texas, is admitted to the Union. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/991 "2017-12-30T10:56:24Z")
**December 29** : born on this day are 1984: LeBron James, NBA player 1976: AJ Pierzynski, MLB player 1975: Tiger Woods, PGA golfer 1961: Ben Johnson, Olympic sprinter 1941: Mel Renfro, NFL player 1937: Jim Marshall, NFL player 1935: Sandy Koufax, MLB player ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/992 "2017-12-31T05:27:48Z")
**December 31, 1929** : [The Glen Cinema disaster](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Cinema_disaster&ved=0ahUKEwiku-mxwbPYAhXEUt8KHbIYBKgQFgigATAa&usg=AOvVaw0pMRRTubBg6OCAdZRjyeLx) occurs in Scotland when a film canister starts to emit smoke in a theater full of children. The crowd panicked believing there to be a fire. 71 were killed in the crush trying to escape out through doors that had been padlocked shut. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/993 "2017-12-31T22:22:35Z")
In 1775, Canada became the first foreign country invaded by the United States. The US Continental army, led by Generals Montgomery and Arnold, attacked Quebec City in a blinding snowstorm on December 31, 1775. The date was chosen because many in the Army had signed up for a term of service that expired at the end of 1775, and Montgomery and Arnold feared their army would melt away the next day. Montgomery was killed. Arnold was wounded. Québécois losses were light. The attack on Quebec, and the heavy-handed US occupation of Montreal by General Wooster, raised Québécois hostility to the Americans, defeating one of the goals of the invasion, which had been to win Québécois support for the American rebellion. British reinforcements in the spring drove the Americans out. About the only positive was that Ben Franklin started a newspaper in Montreal while it was under US occupation. The _Montreal Gazette_ is still in operation, Canada’s oldest newspaper. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/994 "2017-12-31T22:29:59Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > **December 29** : born on this day are > > 1984: LeBron James, NBA player > 1976: AJ Pierzynski, MLB player > 1975: Tiger Woods, PGA golfer > 1961: Ben Johnson, Olympic sprinter > 1941: Mel Renfro, NFL player > 1937: Jim Marshall, NFL player > 1935: Sandy Koufax, MLB player Whoops! That was December 30, not 29! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/995 "2017-12-31T22:40:02Z")
And now **December 31** : 2016: TV’s _M_A_S_H\* character Father Mulcahy, the actor Wiliam Christopher passes away at 84 2015: TV’s _M_A_S_H\* character Trapper John McIntyre, the actor Wayne Rogers passes away at 82 ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2018, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/996 "2018-01-01T05:37:49Z")
**January 1, 1919** : [The HMY \*Iolaire \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-iolaire-disaster-where-200-men-died-yards-from-shore-1-465122/amp&ved=0ahUKEwitxZLMgrbYAhUJYt8KHZPQAW8QFgimATAa&usg=AOvVaw1sjI3nrwc8aHaMlyTpyX1Z&cf=1) strikes rocks and sinks a little over 20 yards from shore. At least 205 are killed. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2018, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/997 "2018-01-01T08:39:06Z")
**January 1, 1971** : cigarette ads are banned from American TV. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2018, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/998 "2018-01-01T09:53:46Z")
**January 1, 1898:** New York, New York annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The four initial boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, are joined on January 25 by Staten Island to create the modern city of five boroughs. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/999 "2018-01-02T07:05:24Z")
**January 2, 1971** : [The Ibrox Stadium Disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_Ibrox_disaster) occurs when 66 fans are crushed to death in a crowd leaving a football game in Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1000 "2018-01-02T08:12:01Z")
**January 2, 1974** : the double-nickel, the US national maximum speed limit of 55 MPH, is signed into law by President Richard Nixon as part of the Federal 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act. It lasted until April 1987, when Congress permitted states to raise speed limits to 65 MPH on rural Interstate highways — California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma applied for and were accepted into this program. Congress then lifted all federal speed limit controls in the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 and returned all speed limit determination authority to the states effective December 8, 1995. The introduction to 80 MPH limits was in about 2005, and Texas introduced 85 MPH in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1001 "2018-01-02T14:17:33Z")
**January 2, 1860:** The discovery of the planet Vulcan is announced at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, France. It is not until Einstein’s Theory of Relativity that the “evidence” for Vulcan’s existence is finally debunked. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1002 "2018-01-03T05:02:49Z")
**January 3, 1961** : [The SL-1 accident,](https://timeline.com/arco-first-nuclear-accident-f16ec1105b9c)the first nuclear meltdown in the US, kills three reactor workers in Idaho. The body of Richard McKinley, one of the dead, is buried in Arlington Cemetery in a lead-lined casket. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=49) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=51)