Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

December 14

2004
Iraq War: CIA Director George Tenet is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1999
LAX bombing plot: An Algerian man living in Canada is arrested at the United States-Canada border in Port Angeles, Washington after crossing by ferry. Customs officials found nitroglycerin and four timing devices concealed in the spare tire well of his automobile. He was planning to bomb LAX airport in Los Angeles, California.

1993
Sidewalk of Stars: Radio City Music Hall unveils its "Sidewalk of Stars" in New York, with Liza Minnelli receiving the first star.

1987
Chrysler: The automaker pleads no contest to charges of rolling back odometers on cars and selling them as new.

1986
First nonstop around-the-world flight without refueling begins, by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager flying the aircraft Voyager, finishing on December 23.

1952
First successful separation of Siamese twins: Dr. Jac S. Geller of Mount Sinai Hospital, Ohio separates two girls joined at the sternum. (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1911
South Pole discovered: Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen reaches the South Pole.

1900
The discovery of quantum physics is announced by Max Planck.

1819
Alabama becomes the 22nd state. Alabama is Creek Indian for "tribal town."

1774
American Revolution - First military encounter: Major John Sullivan leads 400 volunteers in an attack on Fort William and Mary at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They captured the fort's commander and 100 casks of powder and small arms.

1719
The second newspaper in America: The Boston Gazette, published by William Booker, is founded. It lasted until 1798.

1946
Patty Duke (Anna Marie Duke), American Oscar-Emmy-winning actress. She portrayed Helen Keller in the Broadway (1959) and film (1962, Oscar) versions of The Miracle Worker. TV: The Patty Duke Show.

1946
Joyce Vincent Wilson, American singer, with Tony Orlando and Dawn, Knock Three Times (1971, #1) and Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree (1973, #1).

1935     d. 1991
Lee Remick, American actress. Film: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and The Days of Wine and Roses (1962).

1931     d. 1989
Phineas Newborn Jr., American jazz pianist.

1911     d. 1965
Spike Jones (Lindley Armstrong Jones), American musician, All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth (1948, #1).

1908     d. 1996
Morey Amsterdam, American actor. TV: The Dick Van Dyke Show (Buddy Sorrel).

1897     d. 1995
Margaret Chase Smith, American politician, former U.S. Senator (R-Maine). She was the first woman elected to both houses of the U.S. Congress. Her opposistion to the tactics of Joseph McCarthy earned her the nickname "Moscow Maggie."

1896     d. 1993
James Harold Doolittle, American air-force officer, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Presidential Medal of Freedom. He made the first blind airplane flight (1929) and led the first U.S. bombing raid over the Japanese mainland (1942) during World War II.

1895     d. 1952
George VI, King of England and Northern Ireland (1936-52), he and Queen Elizabeth were the first British Sovereigns to visit (1939) the U.S.

1503     d. 1566
Nostradamus (Michel de Nostredame), French astrologer, physician, prophet. He predicted both the date and manner of his death.

1994     b. 1910
Orval Eugene Faubus, American politician, Governor of Arkansas (1955-67). In September of 1957 he ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine blacks from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock.

1993     b. 1905
Myrna Loy (Myrna Williams), American actress. Film: The Jazz Singer (1927, as a chorus girl) and The Thin Man (1934, Nora Charles).

1985     b. 1934
Roger Eugene Maris, American baseball legend, American League MVP (1960-61). He broke Babe Ruth's single-season home run record by hitting 61 (1961).

1980     b. 1929
Elston Gene Howard, American baseball player, American League 1963 MVP and the first to use a baseball bat with a weight on the end to warm up in the on-deck circle (1969).

1964     b. 1906
William Bendix, American actor. TV: The Life of Riley (Chester Riley).

1943     b. 1852
John Harvey Kellogg, American surgeon, invented grain flakes cereal.

1810     b. 1748
Cyrus Griffin, 16th and last president of the Continental Congress (1788-89).

1799     b. 1732
George Washington, first U.S. President (1789-97).

1591     b. 1542
Saint John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz), Spanish poet.

872     b. 792
Adrian II, Italian religious leader, 106th Pope (867-872).

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