Historical Events
1814 – Reverend Samuel Marsden of the Church Missionary Society holds the first Christian service in New Zealand on land, at Rangihoua
1896 – “Stars and Stripes Forever” written by John Philip Sousa
1923 – Imperial Theater opens at 249 W 45th St NYC
1968 – Frank Borman’s Christmas reading while orbiting the Moon
1977 – 7th Fiesta Bowl: #8 Penn State beats #15 Arizona State, 42-30
1983 – 1st live telecast of Christmas Parade at the EPCOT Centre, Disney World Florida
Famous Birthdays
1250 – John IV Laskaris, Byzantine Emperor (d. circa 1305)
1829 – Patrick Gilmore, Irish-born American bandmaster and composer (When Johnny Comes Marching Home), born in Ballygar, Ireland (d. 1892)
1910 – Marguerite Churchill, American actress (Dracula’s Daughter, Big Trail), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2000)
1913 – Tony Martin [Alvin Morris], American singer (It’s a Blue World, To Each), born in San Francisco, California
1920 – Henry Charnock, oceanographer
1943 – Trevor Lucas, rocker (Fairport Convention)
Famous Deaths
1406 – Henry III, King of Castile and León (1390-1406), dies at 27
1943 – Raymond Huntington Woodman, composer, dies at 82
1953 – Patsy Donovan, Irish-born American baseball player (b. 1865)
1988 – Edward Pelham-Clinton, 10th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne (b. 1920)
1991 – Orane Demazis, French actress (Marius, Fanny et Caesar), dies at 87
2000 – Neil Hawke, Australian cricket fast bowler (27 Tests, 91 wickets), dies at 61