NOW for your THIS DAY IN HISTORY REPORT

12/26/0267 - Dionysius, bishop of Rome/saint, dies
12/26/0268 - St Dionysius ends his reign as Catholic Pope
12/26/0418 - St Zosimus ends his reign as Catholic Pope
12/26/0795 - St Leo III begins his reign as Catholic Pope
12/26/1194 - Birth-Frederick II, Iesi Italy, German Emperor (1212 1250)/King of Sicily
12/26/1198 - French bishop Odo van Sully condemns Zottenfeest
12/26/1476 - Galeazzo Maria Sforza, duke of Milan, murdered
12/26/1481 - Battle at Westbroek: Dutch army beats Utrecht
12/26/1492 - 1st Spanish settlement in New World founded, by Columbus
12/26/1530 - Zahir al-Din Mohammed Babur Shah, founder Mogols dynasty, dies at 47
12/26/1568 - Uprising of Morisco's against suppression in Granada
12/26/1574 - Charles Guise, archbishop/cardinal of Reims, dies at 50
12/26/1618 - Birth-Elisabeth, Paltsgravin of Rhine/abbess
12/26/1620 - Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, MA
12/26/1624 - Simon Marius, astronomer, dies in Bavaria at 54
12/26/1627 - Gonzaga, Italian monarch of Mantua/Monferrato, dies
12/26/1633 - Birth-Charles E Biset, Flemish painter, baptised
12/26/1658 - Simon Guillain, French sculptor (Castle of Blois/Sorbonne), dies at 78
12/26/1659 - Long Parliament reforms in Westminster
12/26/1660 - Birth-Peter Schenck, German/Neth engraver/publisher, baptised
12/26/1676 - Domenicus van Tol, Dutch painter, dies
12/26/1679 - John van de Cappelle, Amsterdam landscape painter, dies at 53
12/26/1687 - Birth-Johann Georg Pisendel, German violinist/composer
12/26/1716 - Birth-Thomas Gray, English poet (Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard)
12/26/1731 - Birth-Anthony Ziesenis, architect/sculptor (Town Hall of Westzaan)
12/26/1736 - Antonio Caldara, composer, dies
12/26/1738 - Birth-Thomas Nelson, merchant, signer of Declaration of Independence
12/26/1740 - Mauritius Louis II earl of Nassau, lt-gen (12 children), dies
12/26/1747 - Birth-Cornelis Stevens, Belgium, RC foreman/polemist (Le sophisme d’voil’)
12/26/1748 - France & Austria signs treaty about Southern Netherlands
12/26/1762 - Birth-Franz Wilhelm Tausch, composer
12/26/1770 - Birth-Pierre earl de Cambronne, French general (Waterloo, Elba)
12/26/1771 - Birth-Heinrich J von Collin, Austria dramatist/poet (Regulus)
12/26/1771 - Claude A Helv’tius, French encyclopedist (L'esprit), dies at 56
12/26/1773 - Expulsion of tea ships from Philadelphia
12/26/1776 - Battle of Trenton-major British defeat
12/26/1776 - George Washington defeats Hessians at Trenton
12/26/1776 - Johann Gottlieb Rall, Hessian colonel/mercenary, dies in battle
12/26/1778 - Birth-Juan Lovera, Venezuela, artist
12/26/1792 - Birth-Charles Babbage, English inventor (calculating machine)
12/26/1793 - Birth-Franz Hunten, composer
12/26/1797 - Birth-Hans Skramstad, composer
12/26/1797 - John Wilkes, English journalist/Higher/Lower house leader, dies at 72
12/26/1799 - George Washington is eulogized by Col Henry Lee as "1st in war, 1st in peace & 1st in hearts of his countrymen"
12/26/1805 - Birth-Joseph-Leon Gatayes, composer
12/26/1805 - France & Austria signs Peace of Pressburg
12/26/1805 - Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts established, Philadelphia
12/26/1808 - Birth-Albert Grisar, composer
12/26/1809 - Birth-William Nelson Pendleton, Brig Gen (Confederate Army), died in 1883
12/26/1809 - English invasionary troop leaves Vlissingen
12/26/1812 - Birth-Wilhelm Volkmar, composer
12/26/1813 - Zamose, Modlin, Torgau surrenders to allied armies
12/26/1815 - Birth-Israel Bush Richardson, Mjr General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
12/26/1820 - Birth-Gustavus Adolphus Smith, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1885
12/26/1822 - Birth-Dion Boucicault, Irish/Us actor/playwright (Rip van Winkle)
12/26/1824 - Birth-Augustus Louis Chetlain, Mjr General (Union volunteers), died in 1914
12/26/1825 - Erie Canal opens
12/26/1826 - Birth-Franz Coenen, composer
12/26/1826 - Birth-Martinus Nijhoff, founder Nijhoff's book/publisher (Van Dale)
12/26/1827 - Jan David Holland, composer, dies at 81
12/26/1830 - Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Anna Bolena," premieres in Milan
12/26/1831 - Vincenzo Bellini's opera "Norma," premieres in Milan
12/26/1836 - Hans Georg Nageli, composer, dies at 63
12/26/1837 - Birth-Adm George Dewey, American naval hero of Manila
12/26/1837 - Martinus van Marum, chemist/physicist (giant salamander), dies at 87
12/26/1845 - Birth-Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi, composer
12/26/1848 - 1st gold seekers arrive in Panama en route to SF
12/26/1848 - William & Ellen Craft escape from slavery in Georgia
12/26/1849 - Birth-Samuel E "Sam" van Beem, actor (Fanfan la Tulipe)
12/26/1854 - Wood-pulp paper 1st exhibited, Buffalo
12/26/1855 - Birth-Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn, composer
12/26/1859 - Birth-Johan F van Bemmelen, Dutch zoologist
12/26/1860 - Maiden voyage of 1st steamship owned by 1 man (C Vanderbilt)
12/26/1860 - Major Robert Anderson, under cover of darkness, concentrated his small force at Ft Sumter
12/26/1861 - Birth-Friedrich Engel, German mathematician (group theory)
12/26/1861 - Philip St George Cocke, Confederate brig-gen, commits suicide at 52
12/26/1862 - -Dec 28th) Battle of Dumfries, VA
12/26/1862 - 1st US navy hospital ship enters service
12/26/1862 - 38 Santee Sioux Indians hanged in Mankato Minn, due to their uprising
12/26/1862 - 38 Santee Sioux indians, hanged in Mankato
12/26/1862 - Birth-Alexander V Amfiteatrov, Russian/French/Italian writer [NS]
12/26/1865 - James H Mason (Mass) patents 1st US coffee percolator
12/26/1866 - Samuel Ryan Curtis, Union general-major, dies at 49
12/26/1867 - Birth-Julien Benda, French philosopher/writer (Dialogues Š Byzance)
12/26/1869 - Birth-Harry Redman, composer
12/26/1872 - 4th largest snowfall in NYC history (18")
12/26/1873 - Birth-Hubert Cuypers, Dutch composer/choir conductor (Minstrels)
12/26/1873 - Birth-Karel Moor, composer
12/26/1874 - Birth-Norman Angell, [Lane], English cowboy/journalist (Nobel 1933)
12/26/1877 - Socialist Labor Party of North America holds 1st natl convention
12/26/1878 - 1st US store to install electric lights, Philadelphia
12/26/1878 - Birth-Isaiah Bowman, US, geography/co-founder (Geographical Review)
12/26/1879 - Birth-Armen Tigran Tigranyan, composer
12/26/1879 - Birth-Julius Weismann, composer
12/26/1879 - Jean Leonard Marie Poiseuille, dies
12/26/1879 - John Brahms' "Tragic Ouverture," premieres
12/26/1883 - Birth-Carl Oscar Ahues, Germany, International Chess Master (1950)
12/26/1883 - Birth-Frank Debenham, Australian geographer/geologist
12/26/1886 - Birth-Gyula G"mb"s von J kfa, general/dictator of Hungary (1932-35)
12/26/1887 - Jules Franýois Blasini, Curaýaos pianist/composer, dies at 40
12/26/1888 - Birth-Hiroshi "Can" Kikuchi, Japanese stagewriter (Tjitj Ka”ru)
12/26/1890 - Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist (Trojan War), dies at 86
12/26/1890 - King Mwanga of Uganda signs contract with East Africa Company
12/26/1891 - Birth-Henry Miller, author (Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer, Sexus)
12/26/1891 - Birth-Jean Galtier-Boissi re, French writer/cartoonist/journalist
12/26/1892 - Opera "Cristoforo Colombo" is produced (La Scala)
12/26/1893 - Birth-Evgeny Karlovich Tikotsky, composer
12/26/1893 - Birth-Mao Tse-tung, of little red book fame, PM of China PR (1949-76)
12/26/1893 - Birth-Yury Nikolayevich Tyulin, composer
12/26/1894 - Birth-Antonio Molina, composer
12/26/1897 - Birth-Willie Corsari, [Wilhelmina A Schmidt], Dutch writer
12/26/1899 - Mafeking: Bathe-Powells failed assault up fort Game Tree: 24 killed
12/26/1901 - Birth-Georgy Mikhaylovich Rimsky-Korsakov, composer [NS]
12/26/1901 - Birth-Victor Hely-Hutchinson, composer
12/26/1902 - Birth-Elisha Cook Jr, SF Calif, actor (Maltese Falcon, Shane, Magnum PI)
12/26/1902 - Most knock downs in a fight, Oscar Nelson (5) & Christy Williams (42)
12/26/1904 - Birth-Alentejo Carpentier, Cubans/French writer (Guerra del Tiempo)
12/26/1906 - Birth-BVA R"ling, Dutch lawyer
12/26/1908 - Birth-Hanns Maaáen, writer
12/26/1908 - Birth-Ralph Hill, US, 5K runner (Olympic-1932)
12/26/1908 - Jack Johnson TKOs Tommy Burns in 14 for heavyweight boxing title
12/26/1910 - Birth-Lucy Faithfull, children's campaigner
12/26/1914 - Birth-Richard Widmark, Sunrise Mich, actor (Madigan, Judgement at Nuremberg)
12/26/1915 - Birth-Hans [Henri A] Gomperts, Dutch literature (Duck on Attic)
12/26/1915 - Birth-Una Mae Carlisle, US pianist/vocalist (Walkin' at the River)
12/26/1916 - Bernhard Scholz, composer, dies at 81
12/26/1916 - Birth-Helmut Eder, composer
12/26/1916 - Frank Penn, cricketer (one Test for England v Australia 1880), dies
12/26/1916 - Joseph Joffre becomes marshal of France
12/26/1917 - 1st NHL defensemen to score a goal: Toronto Maple Leaf Harry Cameron
12/26/1917 - Birth-Rosemary Woods, Nixon's secretary, keep her away from your tapes
12/26/1917 - Fed govt took over operation of American RR for duration of WW I
12/26/1917 - Louise J Gautier, French poetess/daughter of Th’ophile G, dies at 71
12/26/1918 - 1st day of 1st-class cricket in Aust after WW I (Vic v NSW)
12/26/1918 - Bertram Luard-Selby, composer, dies at 65
12/26/1919 - Yanks & Red Sox reach agreement on transfer of Babe Ruth
12/26/1920 - Birth-Gote Carlid, composer
12/26/1921 - Birth-Steve Allen, NYC, comedian/TV host (Tonight Show, Steve Allen Show)
12/26/1924 - Judy Garland, 2«, billed as Baby Frances, show business debut
12/26/1925 - 1st East West football game at Ewing Park before 25,000 fans
12/26/1925 - Birth-Baron Baker, activist
12/26/1925 - NHL record 141 shots as NY Americans (73) beat Pitt Pirates (68) 3-1
12/26/1925 - NY's Jake Forbes makes 67 saves, Pitt's Ray Waters makes 70
12/26/1925 - Turkey adopts Gregorian calendar
12/26/1926 - Birth-Earle Brown, composer
12/26/1926 - Birth-Edgar D Ngoyi, South African ANC leader (17 yrs in Robbeneiland Jail)
12/26/1926 - Birth-Zlatko Pibernik, composer
12/26/1926 - Prince-regent Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan
12/26/1927 - Birth-Alan King, Bkln NY, comedian/actor (Anderson Tapes, Memories of Me)
12/26/1927 - Birth-Denis Quilley, London England, actor (Masada)
12/26/1928 - Johnny Weissmuller announces his retirement from amateur swimming
12/26/1928 - World record 10th wicket stand 307 (Kippax / Hooker) NSW v Vic
12/26/1930 - Birth-Donald Moffat, Plymouth England, actor (Kent Logan's Run)
12/26/1930 - Birth-Sayed Mutawli imam ad-Darsh, scholar/broadcaster
12/26/1931 - Birth-Thomas Eden Binkley, musician
12/26/1931 - Birth-Thomas K "Tom" van Brook, actor/interpreter (Soldier of Orange)
12/26/1931 - George/Ira Gershwin's "Of Thee I Sing," premieres in NYC
12/26/1931 - Pulitzer Prize-winning musical play "Of Thee I Sing" opens on Bdwy
12/26/1931 - SS-Sturmbannf hrer Reinhard Heydrich marries Lina von Osten
12/26/1932 - Birth-Walter Leblanc, Belgian painter
12/26/1932 - Earthquake kills 70,000 in Kansu China
12/26/1933 - Bradman scores 187* NSW v Victoria, 294 mins, 13 fours
12/26/1933 - Lunatscharski, writer, dies
12/26/1933 - US forswears armed intervention in Western Hemisphere
12/26/1934 - Yomiuri Giants, Japan's 1st professional baseball team forms
12/26/1935 - Birth-Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Detroit MI, rock vocalist (Four Tops)
12/26/1935 - Birth-Barbara J Jacket, US athletic coach (Olympics 1972)
12/26/1935 - Birth-Rohan Kanhai, cricketer (one of West Indies' finest batsmen)
12/26/1935 - Stalin views Dmitri Sjostakovitsj' opera "Lady Macbeth"
12/26/1936 - Birth-Kitty Dukakis, substance abuser/wife of Michael (Gov-Mass)
12/26/1936 - Israel Philarmonic Orch forms
12/26/1937 - Ivor Gurney, composer, dies at 47
12/26/1938 - Bradman scores 225 South Aust v Qld before Christ gets him out
12/26/1938 - Tom Goddard takes a cricket hat-trick for England v South Africa
12/26/1939 - Birth-Lynn Martin, US secretary of Labor (1991-93)
12/26/1939 - Birth-[Harvey] Phil Spector, record producer (Wall of Sound)
12/26/1939 - Earthquake in East Anatolia Turkey
12/26/1939 - Mine strikes in Borinage Brussels
12/26/1940 - 1st-class debut of Arthur Morris, who scores 148
12/26/1940 - Birth-Harmen Siezen, Dutch TV-journal host
12/26/1940 - JA Fields/J Chodorov's "My Sister Eileen," premieres in NYC
12/26/1941 - Birth-Daniel Schmid, actor/director (Paloma, Violanta, Hecate, Amateurs)
12/26/1941 - Winston Churchill becomes 1st British PM to address a joint meeting of Congress, warning that Axis would "stop at nothing"
12/26/1942 - Birth-Barry Wood, cricketer (England opener in early 70's)
12/26/1942 - Birth-Earl Cate, Ark, country singers (Cate Bros-Fire on the Tracks)
12/26/1942 - Birth-Ernie Cate, Ark, country singers (Cate Bros-Fire on the Tracks)
12/26/1942 - Birth-Marco Vinicio Cerezo Ar’valo, president of Guatemala (1986-91)
12/26/1942 - Birth-Rob de Nijs, Dutch singer (Put a candle in your window)
12/26/1942 - Bosinier de la Chapelle, Fren murderer of adm Darlan, executed at 24
12/26/1943 - British sink German battle cruiser Scharnhorst
12/26/1943 - Chicago Bears win NFL championship
12/26/1943 - Earl Claus von Stauffenberg vain with bomb to Hitlers headquarter
12/26/1944 - Battle of Bastogne-US Gen Patton's 4th Pantzers repulse Germans
12/26/1944 - Birth-Jane Lapotaire, actress (Spirit of the Dead)
12/26/1944 - Budapest surrounded by soviet army
12/26/1944 - Tennessee Williams' play "Glass Menagerie," premieres in Chicago
12/26/1945 - Birth-John Walsh, activist/TV host (America's Most Wanted)
12/26/1946 - "Beggar's Holiday" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 111 performances
12/26/1946 - "Toplitzky of Notre Dame" opens at Century Theater NYC for 60 perfs
12/26/1946 - 35th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Melbourne (5-0)
12/26/1946 - Birth-Gordon Edwards, rocker
12/26/1946 - Birth-Lisette Hordijk, Dutch TV broadcaster
12/26/1946 - Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas opens (start of an era)
12/26/1947 - "Cradle Will Ruck" opens at Mansfield Theater NYC for 34 performances
12/26/1947 - Birth-Carlton Fisk, Vermont, all star catcher (Red Sox, White Sox)
12/26/1947 - Birth-Joyce Jillson, Cranston RI, psychic/actress (Superchick)
12/26/1947 - British transfer Heard & McDonald Is (Indian Ocean) to Australia
12/26/1947 - Heavy snow blankets Northeast, buries NYC under 25.8" of snow in 16 hrs That same day, LA set a record high of 84ø F
12/26/1948 - Birth-Chris Chambliss, 1st baseman (NY Yankee)
12/26/1948 - Hungarian cardinal Mindszenty arrested
12/26/1949 - Birth-Ira Newborn, NYC, orch leader (Manhattan Transfer)
12/26/1950 - Birth-Michael Jones, rocker (BT Express-Here Comes the Express)
12/26/1950 - Birth-Victoria Racimo, NYC, actress (Corene-Falcon Crest)
12/26/1950 - Emile Enthoven, composer, dies at 47
12/26/1950 - Gillette & Mutual buy All Star & World Series rights ($6M for 6 yrs)
12/26/1950 - James Stephens, Irish poet (Crock of Gold), dies at 68
12/26/1951 - Birth-Richard Skinner, British DJ
12/26/1952 - Birth-Andr’-Michel Schub, Paris France, pianist (Van Cliburn-1981)
12/26/1952 - Pietro Pancrazi, Italian critic (Pegaso), dies at 59
12/26/1953 - Birth-Matthew Harding, businessman/soccer supporter
12/26/1953 - Birth-Valeri Yuriyevich Sharov, Russian cosmonaut
12/26/1954 - "The Shadow," airs for last time on radio
12/26/1954 - Birth-Ozzie Smith, Mobile AL, infielder (St Louis Cardinals)
12/26/1954 - Birth-Peter Woods, rocker (Romeo Void-Girl in Trouble)
12/26/1954 - Birth-Susan H Butcher, dog sled driver (Idatarod)
12/26/1954 - Birth-Ullrich Diessner, German DR, 4 man cox (Olympic gold-1976)
12/26/1954 - Birth-Walter Diessner, German DR, 4 man cox (Olympic gold-1976)
12/26/1954 - Cleveland Browns win NFL Championship, beating Detroit 56-10
12/26/1955 - Cleveland Browns win NFL Championship, beating LA 38-14
12/26/1955 - RKO is 1st to announce sale of its film library to TV
12/26/1956 - Birth-Gail Tatterson, WBL center (NY Stars)
12/26/1956 - Birth-Karen Smith, WBL forward (NY Stars)
12/26/1956 - Holmes Herbert, actor (The Kiss), dies at 74
12/26/1957 - Artur Malawski, composer, dies at 53
12/26/1957 - Roger Sessions' 3rd Symphony premieres in London
12/26/1958 - Harry Redman, composer, dies on 89th birthday
12/26/1959 - Birth-Lesley Tomlinson, Derbyshire England, cyclist (Olympics-96)
12/26/1960 - "Do Re Mi" opens at St James Theater NYC for 400 performances
12/26/1960 - Eduard Ludwig, German architect (Hansa quarter, Berlin), dies at 54
12/26/1960 - Musical "Do re mi" with Phil Silvers premieres in NYC
12/26/1960 - Phila Eagles beat Green Bay Packers 17-13 in NFL championship game
12/26/1961 - Birth-Storm Davis, Dallas Texas, pitcher (KC Royals)
12/26/1961 - Birth-Tahnee Welch, [La Tahn Renee Welch], San Diego CA, actress (Cocoon)
12/26/1961 - Charlie Frank, cricketer (S Af Test centurion v Aust 1921 22), dies
12/26/1963 - "Double Dublin" opens at Little Theater NYC for 4 performances
12/26/1963 - "Gorgeous George" Wagner, wrestler, dies
12/26/1963 - Beatles release "I Want To Hold Your Hand"/"I Saw Her Standing There"
12/26/1963 - Birth-Lars Ulrich, Danish/US heavy metal drummer (Metallica-Kill 'em All)
12/26/1963 - US furnishes cereal to USSR
12/26/1964 - Beatles' "I Feel Fine," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks
12/26/1964 - Birth-Colleen Dion, Newburgh NY, actress (Search for Tomorrow)
12/26/1964 - Birth-Jeff King, Marion IN, infielder (Pitts Pirates)
12/26/1964 - Buffalo Bills beat San Diego Chargers 20-7 in AFL championship game
12/26/1964 - Moors Murderers claim last victim
12/26/1965 - "Funny Girl" with Barbra Streisand closes on Broadway
12/26/1965 - Anthonie Donker, Dutch [Prof N Donkersloot], literary, dies at 63
12/26/1965 - Birth-Ben Husaby, Eden Prairie Minn, cross country skier (Olympics-1994)
12/26/1965 - Buffalo Bills beat San Diego Chargers 23-0 in AFL championship game
12/26/1965 - Paul McCartney is interviewed on pirate radio station Radio Caroline
12/26/1966 - Birth-Tim Legler, NBA guard (Washington Wizards/Bullets)
12/26/1966 - Ina Boudier-Baker, Dutch author (Poverty), dies at 88
12/26/1966 - Klaziena "Ina" Boudier-Bakker, singer (Armoede, Finale), dies at 91
12/26/1966 - Maulana Karenga establishes Kwanzaa (1st fruits of harvest) holiday
12/26/1966 - Noel Gallon, composer, dies at 75
12/26/1967 - BBC broadcasts "Magical Mystery Tour"
12/26/1967 - Birth-Tony Covington, NFL safety (Seattle Seahawks)
12/26/1967 - Dave Brubeck Quartet formally disbands
12/26/1967 - S F Barnes, cricketer (27 Tests for England, 189 wickets), dies
12/26/1968 - Arab terrorists in Athens fire on El Al plane, kills 1
12/26/1968 - Birth-Darren Barber, Victoria BC, rower (Olympics-96)
12/26/1968 - Bruin Ted Green sets NHL penalty record of 3 minors, 2 majors & 2 game misconducts in a game against NY Rangers in NY's MSG
12/26/1968 - Jay Allens "Forty Carats," premieres in NYC
12/26/1968 - Led Zeppelin's concert debut in Boston as opener for Vanilla Fudge
12/26/1969 - Louise L de Vilmorin, French poet/author (History d'aimer), dies at 67
12/26/1970 - Birth-Lisa Gathright, Moline Ill, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-17th-1993)
12/26/1970 - Birth-Radka Zrubakova, Bratislava Slovakia, tennis star (1994 Futures-GER)
12/26/1970 - Birth-Willie Williams, NFL cornerback (Pitts Steelers, Seahawks)
12/26/1971 - Birth-Mark Lathwell, cricketer (England opening batsman v Australia 1993)
12/26/1971 - Robert Lowery, actor (Circus Boy, Pistols 'n' Petticoats), dies at 57
12/26/1972 - Birth-Burnell Roques, NFL wide receiver (Atlanta Falcons)
12/26/1972 - Birth-Derrick Cullors, running back (New England Patriots)
12/26/1972 - Birth-Jared Leto, Bossier City LA, actor (Jordan-My So Called Life)
12/26/1972 - Harry Truman, 33rd US Pres (1945-53), dies in KC Mo at 88
12/26/1973 - "Exorcist," starring Linda Blair & rated X, premieres
12/26/1973 - 2 Skylab 3 astronauts walk in space for a record 7 hours
12/26/1973 - Birth-Ryan Berube, US, 800m freestyle relay (Olympics gold-96)
12/26/1973 - Harold B Lee, US head of Mormon Church, dies at 74
12/26/1973 - Soyuz 13 returns to Earth
12/26/1973 - Steven Geray, actor (French Line), dies at 69
12/26/1973 - William Haines, actor (Little Annie Rooney), dies of cancer at 73
12/26/1974 - Birth-Tiffany Brissette, actress (Vicki-Small Wonder)
12/26/1974 - Birth-Tony Brackens, defensive end (Jacksonville Jaguars)
12/26/1974 - Jack Benny, comedian (Jack Benny Show), dies at 80
12/26/1974 - Knudage Riisager, composer, dies at 77
12/26/1974 - Robert Levine Sanders, composer, dies at 68
12/26/1974 - Washington Capitals 1st NHL sellout
12/26/1975 - 1st supersonic transport service (USSR-Tupolev-144)
12/26/1975 - A crowd of 85661 attends the 1st day of the Aust-WI MCG Test Cricket
12/26/1975 - Birth-Marcelo Rios, Santiago Chile, tennis star (1995 Amsterdam)
12/26/1976 - "Music Is" closes at St James Theater NYC after 8 performances
12/26/1976 - Philip A Heart, (Sen-D-Mich), dies at 64
12/26/1977 - Birth-Brandee Layne Loving, Miss Mississippi Teen USA (1996)
12/26/1977 - Howard Hawks, director (Rio Lobo, Hatari!), dies at 81
12/26/1977 - Ivan Rezak, composer, dies at 53
12/26/1977 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
12/26/1978 - India's former PM, Indira Gandhi, released from jail
12/26/1980 - Birth-Serena Phillips, Corvallis Ore, figure skater (1997 Pruetten champ)
12/26/1981 - One of the great day's Test Cricket at the MCG Aust v WI
12/26/1982 - TIME's Man of the Year is a computer
12/26/1982 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
12/26/1983 - Test Cricket debut of Gregory Richard John Matthews, v Pakistan MCG
12/26/1983 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
12/26/1984 - Belgian princess Astrid marries arch duke Otto L van Austrian-Este
12/26/1985 - Birth-Steven Hartman, Westlake CA, actor (Rick Forrester Bold & Beautiful)
12/26/1985 - Dian Fossey, zoologist (Gorillas in the Mist), murdered at 53
12/26/1985 - Test Cricket debut of Steve Waugh, v India at the MCG
12/26/1986 - Captured Iraqi Airways Boeing-737 in Saudi Arabia, about 60 killed
12/26/1986 - Doug Jarvis, 31, sets NHL record of 916 consecutive games
12/26/1986 - Elsa Lanchester, actress (Bride of Frankenstein), dies at 84
12/26/1986 - TV soap "Search for Tomorrow" ends 35 year run
12/26/1987 - "Les Miserables" opens at National Theatre of Iceland, Reykjavik
12/26/1988 - "Legs Diamond" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 64 performances
12/26/1988 - Anti African student rebellion in China PR
12/26/1988 - John Loder, actor (Sabotage, Java Head), dies at 90
12/26/1989 - Lennox Berkeley, composer, dies at 86
12/26/1989 - ODI debut for Mark Taylor & Sanath Jayasuriya at cricket MCG
12/26/1989 - Peggy Thorpe-Bates, actress (Alcatraz Island), dies
12/26/1990 - Garry Kasparov beats Antatoly Karpov to retain chess championship
12/26/1990 - Nancy Cruznan, accident victim/right-to-die case, dies at 33
12/26/1990 - Reggie Williams becomes 1st GM of WLAF's NY-NJ Knights
12/26/1990 - Senior Professional Baseball Association folds
12/26/1991 - Chuck Knolls retires as NFL coach after 23 years
12/26/1991 - Dehl Berti, actor (John Taylor-Guns of Paradise), dies at 70
12/26/1991 - Jack Ruby's gun sells for $220,000 in auction
12/26/1991 - Militant Sikhs kill 55 & wound 70 in India
12/26/1991 - NY Islander Derek King ties NJ Devils 5-5 with « second left
12/26/1991 - Sam Cresson, dies at 73
12/26/1992 - Bert [Lambertus H] Voeten, Dutch poet (Antipodes), dies at 74
12/26/1992 - Constance Carpenter, actress (2 Worlds), dies of stroke at 87
12/26/1992 - John G Kemeny, US computer pioneer (BASIC), dies
12/26/1992 - NY Jet announcer Marty Glickman retires at 75
12/26/1992 - Nikita Magaloff, Russian/Swiss pianist, dies at 80
12/26/1993 - Antonov-26 crashes at Gyumri, Armenia, 36 killed
12/26/1993 - Comedian Rodney Dangerfield (72) weds Joan Child (41)
12/26/1993 - Floyd, Nicklaus & Rodriguez wins Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge Golf Tourn
12/26/1993 - Jeff Morrow, actor (Robe, Harbor Lights, Blood Legacy), dies at 80
12/26/1994 - Actor Jason Hervey (22) weds Kelley Patricia O'Neill (27)
12/26/1994 - Asta ER Elstak, Suriname/Neth welfare worker, dies at 74
12/26/1994 - French commando's terminate Air France hijacking in Marseille
12/26/1994 - Johannes J "Joop" Klant, Neth/S African economist/author, dies
12/26/1994 - Karl Schiller, minister of RFA Economics (1966-72), dies
12/26/1994 - Pres « brother Roger Clinton (37) weds 8-mo pregnant Molly Nartin (25)
12/26/1994 - Robert Emhardt, actor (Mac Cory-Another World), dies at 80
12/26/1994 - Sylvia Brandts Buys, actress (Hague's Post), dies at 85
12/26/1994 - Sylvia Koscina, Croatian/Italian actress (Hercules), dies at 61
12/26/1995 - Muttiah Muralitharan no-balled for throwing (SL v Aust, MCG)
12/26/1995 - Paul Adams becomes S Afr's youngest Test Cricket player, 18 yrs 340 ds
12/26/1997 - John Hinde, photographer/circus promoter, dies at 81
12/26/1997 - John Whitley, air-Marshal, dies at 92