December 25, 2017

525 years ago
1492

Disasters
The carrack Santa María, commanded by Christopher Columbus, ran onto a reef off Haiti due to an improper watch.

300 years ago
1717

Born on this date
Pius VI. Roman Catholic Pope, 1775-1799. Pius VI, born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, succeeded Clement XIV. Pius VI was Pope during and after the French Revolution; he condemned the revolution and the resulting suppression of the Gallican Church. Pius VI refused to renounce papal authority in the face of invading French troops in 1798, and was taken prisoner and eventually taken into exile in France, where he died on August 29, 1799 at the age of 81, six weeks after his arrival. He was succeeded as Pope by Pius VII.

180 years ago
1837

War
U.S. Army troops under the command of Colonel Zachary Taylor fought against Seminoles in the Battle of Lake Okeechobee in Florida.

90 years ago
1927

World events
Six people died in New York City from drinking holiday "booze." In Brooklyn, a man awaiting trial for killing his wife and child celebrated Christmas by committing suicide in Raymond Street Jail. A brawl between county officers and local police in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee resulted in five people killed, another mortally wounded, and three others wounded.

75 years ago
1942

At the movies
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, and Lionel Atwill, opened at the Pantages Hollywood and RKO Hillstreet theatres in Los Angeles. It was the second feature, following Once Upon a Honeymoon, starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, and Walter Slezak.





Movies
In a poll conducted by Motion Picture Herald, the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were voted the leading box office attraction of 1942.

War
The British 8th Army occupied Sirte, 225 miles east of Tripoli, and continued to pursue German troops to the west. U.S. Army bombers from Guadalcanal flew 560 miles to Rabaul, New Britain and scored several hits on Japanese cargo ships.

Crime
Bonnier de la Chapelle, who had assassinated French Prime Minister Jean-Francois Darlan the previous day, was convicted by a French military tribunal of murder and sentenced to death.

70 years ago
1947

Died on this date
Gaspar G. Bacon, 81. U.S. politician. Mr. Bacon, a Republican, sat in the Massachusetts Senate from 1925-1932, and was President of the Senate from 1929-1932. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1933-1935.

World events
Greek police began a roundup of political suspects, arresting over 500 alleged supporters of the Free Greek Government.

Protest
Members of the Committee for Amnesty picketed the White House in Washington, demanding that U.S. President Harry Truman extend pardons to 12,764 draft law violators.

60 years ago
1957

At the movies
Old Yeller, produced by Walt Disney and starring Dorothy McGuire and Fess Parker, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., 87. U.S. landscape architect. Mr. Olmsted, whose father, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., was a pioneering landscape architect, carried on the family tradition, and formed Olmsted Brothers with his brother John. Frederick Jr. was known for his conservation efforts in planning national parks, and also helped to design the White House grounds in Washington.

Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion announced that envoys would travel to West Germany to negotiate for arms purchases and to work for a normalization of relations.

Politics and government
Thai Defense Minister Lieutenant General Thanom Kitkhachon was named Prime Minister.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor (Aranjuez, Mon Amour)--Richard Anthony (4th week at #1)

War
U.S. forces ended their 24-hour truce in Vietnam, and later claimed that Viet Cong forces had violated their truce with 108 incidents. The U.S. forces resumed air attacks on North Vietnam, and reportedly destroyed 23 trucks in a 150-truck convoy 90 miles south of Hanoi.

Disasters
16 people were killed and 20 injured when a bus overturned and fell into a river near Tafi Del Valle, Argentina.

Nine people were killed in an explosion at an apartment house in Moscow.

Football
NCAA
All-Star Shrine Game @ Miami
North 24 South 0

40 years ago
1977

Died on this date
Charlie Chaplin, 88. U.K.-born actor, director, and composer. Sir Charles was one of the most important figures in the history of motion pictures, with achievements too numerous to be listed here. He died after several years of declining health.

Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin met in Ismalia, Egypt with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to begin a two-day summit.

Hockey
World Junior Championships
Canada 9 CSSR 3

Football
NCAA
Fiesta Bowl
Pennsylvania State 42 Arizona State 30

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Whenever You Need Somebody--Rick Astley (4th week at #1)

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): More and More--Captain Hollywood Project (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Monica Dickens, 77. U.K. author. Miss Dickens, the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, wrote fiction and non-fiction. Her books included One Pair of Hands (1939); Mariana (1940); The Winds of Heaven (1955); and One of the Family (1993).

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight--Elton John (15th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Pop-Musiikkia--Neljä Baritonia (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Denver Pyle, 77. U.S. actor. Mr. Pyle was a character actor who appeared in numerous movies and television programs--most notably, Westerns--in a career that spanned more than 40 years. He played Uncle Jesse Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985). Mr. Pyle died of lung cancer.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Jim Beauchamp, 68. U.S. baseball player and coach. Mr. Beauchamp was a first baseman and outfielder with five National League teams from 1963-1973, batting .231 with 14 home runs and 90 runs batted in in 393 games. He had a solid minor league career, batting .275 with 192 homers and over 600 RBIs in 1,213 games from 1958-1968 and 1974. Mr. Beauchamp was the Most Valuable Player in the AA Texas League in 1963, batting .337 with 31 homers and 105 RBIs in 137 games with the Tulsa Oilers. He managed in the minor leagues from 1975-1990 and served bench coach with the Atlanta Braves from 1991-2001. Mr. Beauchamp died after a long battle with leukemia.