December 24, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Hilary Hahn!

190 years ago
1822

Literature
Clement Clark Moore is said to have written his poem A Visit from St. Nicholas.

130 years ago
1882

Born on this date
Hans Rebane. Estonian diplomat, politician, and journalist. Mr. Rebane was editor-in-chief of the newspapers Postimees (1913-1914, 1916-1917) and Eesti Pنevaleht (1918-1927) before being elected to the Riigikogu and serving as Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs (1927-1928). He was Estonian Minister in Finland (1931-1937) and Latvia (1937-1940), losing the latter position when Latvia was occupied by Soviet forces. Mr. Rebane was arrested by Soviet authorities, but escaped, and fled to Sweden in 1944. He served as Minister and acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (1945-1949). Mr. Rebane died on December 16, 1961, eight days before his 78th birthday.

120 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Ruth Chatterton. U.S. actress. Miss Chatterton achieved success on Broadway before starring in movies such as Madame X (1929); Sarah and Son (1930); and Dodsworth (1936). She retired from films in the late 1930s, continuing to act occasionally on stage and television. Miss Chatterton also wrote three novels and became an aviatrix; she died on November 24, 1961, a month before her 69th birthday, and three days after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.

90 years ago
1922

Born on this date
Ava Gardner. U.S. actress. Miss Gardner was one of the most beautiful actresses in movie history, appearing in such films as The Killers (1946); The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952); Mogambo (1953); The Barefoot Contessa (1954); On the Beach (1959); 55 Days at Peking (1963); Seven Days in May (1964); and The Night of the Iguana (1964). She died on January 25, 1990 at the age of 67.

70 years ago
1942

Died on this date
Jean-Francois Darlan, 61. Prime Minister of France, 1941-1942. Mr. Darlan was Prime Minister from February 9, 1941-April 18, 1942 of the Vichy regime that collaborated with the Nazis. While visiting Algiers in November, he was arrested in a French resistance raid. Mr. Darlan was permitted to remain head of a French administration in Algeria as part of a deal for the cessation of hostilities between resistance and collaborationist forces. He was shot dead in his headquarters in Algiers by Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle, 20, a member of a resistance group.

60 years ago
1952

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: The Flames Burned Red

Law
The Immigration and nationality Act--popularly known as the McCarran-Walter Act--an immigration law aimed at preventing the spread of Communist subversion in the United States--went into effect after being passed over the veto of President Harry Truman.

50 years ago
1962

Diplomacy
The last of more than 1,000 men who had been taken prisoner in Cuba during the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961 returned to the United States after the U.S. agreed to pay a ransom of $53 million in food and medical supplies.

40 years ago
1972

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: She'll Be Company for You, starring Leonard Nimoy and Lorraine Gary

Popular culture
Comedian Bob Hope gave his last performance for American troops in Saigon.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Cleveland 14 @ Miami 20

Jim Kiick’s 8-yard touchdown rush in the 4th quarter provided the winning margin as the Dolphins defeated the Browns before 78,916 fans at the Orange Bowl to extend their season-long perfect record to 15 games. Miami scored first when Charlie Babb returned a blocked punt 6 yards for a touchdown in the 1st quarter. Garo Yepremian converted and kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 10-0 lead, which held until the 3rd quarter. Cleveland quarterback Mike Phipps got the Browns on the scoreboard in the 3rd quarter when he rushed 5 yards for a touchdown. Don Cockroft converted to reduce the Browns’ deficit to 10-7. Mr. Yepremian kicked a 46-yard field goal in the 4th quarter to give the Dolphins a 13-7 lead, but Mr. Phipps completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Fair Hooker, and Mr. Cockroft’s convert gave the Browns a short-lived 14-13 lead. The Dolphins rushed the ball 47 times for 198 yards, led by Mercury Morris’s 15 carries for 72 yards. Cleveland’s Bo Scott led all rushers with 16 carries for 94 yards. Miami quarterback Earl Morrall completed 6 of 13 passes for 88 yards, but didn’t turn the ball over. Mr. Phipps completed just 9 of 23 passes
for 131 yards and 5 interceptions.



NFC Divisional Playoff
Green Bay 3 @ Washington 16

Billy Kilmer completed a 32-yard pass to Roy Jefferson in the 2nd quarter and Curt Knight followed with a convert and 3 field goals as the Redskins beat the Packers before 52,321 fans at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. Chester Marcol kicked a 17-yard field goal for the Packers to open the scoring in the 2nd quarter, but Mr. Jefferson’s TD put the Redskins ahead to stay. Mr. Knight kicked a 42-yard field goal to give Washington a 10-3 halftime lead, and kicked FGs from 35 and 46 yards in the 4th quarter. Washington’s Larry Brown led all rushers with 25 carries for 101 yards, while the Redskins’ defense limited Green Bay’s John Brockington to just 9 yards on 13 carries, although Macarthur Lane managed 56 yards on 14 carries and caught 4 passes for 42 yards to lead the Packers. Mr. Kilmer completed 7 of 14 passes for 100 yards, while Green Bay’s Scott Hunter was 12 for 24 for 150 yards.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Bobby LaKind, 47. U.S. musician. Mr. LaKind was a roadie, sideman, and eventual member of the Doobie Brothers as a singer, conga player, and backup drummer. He died of cancer.

Scandal
U.S. President George Bush pardoned former U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five others who had been convicted in the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal.