By Sandy Williams Driver
December 23, 1834
Joseph Aloysius Hansom patented his Patent Safety Cab on this day. The 2-wheeled, horse-driven vehicle with the driver seated above and behind the passengers (he talked with them through a trap door) became known as the hansom cab. Hansom was also a well-known architect. The Englishman designed the Birmingham Town Hall, Plymouth Cathedral and many other churches, convents, schools and mansions. And it is a good thing he had his architectural business to fall back on. He never made any money from those hansom cabs, even though you can still spot them on the streets of many cities around the world.
December 11, 1844
Dr. Horace Wells of Hartford, CT was the first person to get a tooth extracted while receiving anesthetic for this dental procedure.
December 15, 1854
Philadelphia residents were amazed as the first street cleaning machine was put into operation. A series of brooms attached to a cylinder mounted on a cart was turned by a chain driven by the turning of the carts wheels.
December 9, 1884
Levant Richardson of Chicago, IL received his patent for the ball-bearing roller skate.
December 22, 1894
The United States Golf Association was formed in New York City.
December 25, 1894
The University of Chicago had the first Midwestern football team to play on the west coast as U.C. defeated Stanford, 24-4, at Palo Alto, CA, on Christmas Day.
December 21, 1914
Marie Dressler, Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand and Mack Swain appeared in the first six-reel, feature-length comedy. The film was directed by Mack Sennett and was lovingly titled, Tillies Punctured Romance.
December 1, 1924
Lady Be Good opened in New York City. George Gershwin wrote the music while Fred and Adele Astaire were well-received by the shows audience for their dancing talents.
December 3, 1924
Prizefighter Jack Sharkey lost his boxing license. The New York State Boxing Commission revoked his boxing card after Sharkey knocked down referee Eddie Purdy during a match.
December 24, 1924
Notre Dame football coach (1918-1930) Knute Rockne said he opposed elimination of the forward pass since it has helped to curb the brutality of football. Knute knew a little something about football. His record for highest winning percentage in Division I-A football (.881) still stands.
December 4, 1934
Ethel Merman recorded I Get a Kick Out of You, from Cole Porters musical, Anything Goes. She was backed by the Johnny Green Orchestra. The tune was recorded for Brunswick Records.
December 9, 1934
Because of ground conditions, the New York Giants football team preferred to wear basketball sneakers, as they defeated the Chicago Bears, 30-13, for the NFL championship.
December 14, 1934
The first streamlined locomotive, nicknamed the Commodore Vanderbilt, was introduced by the New York Central Railroad. The locomotive was quite impressive: 228 tons and 4,075 horsepower. The bathtub shroud that gave the Commodore Vanderbilt its streamlined appearance was designed by the Case School of Science in Cleveland, Ohio. After an October 1945 collision with a truck at a grade crossing, all the streamlining was removed.
December 18, 1934
Willie Smith sang with Jimmy Lunceford and his orchestra on Rhythm is Our Business on Decca Records (serial number 369).
December 25, 1934
The Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, was read by Lionel Barrymore on The Campbell Playhouse on CBS radio. The reading of the tale became an annual radio event for years to come.
December 29, 1934
The first regular-season college basketball game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York University beat Notre Dame, 25-18 in, as you can see by the score, anything but an offensive battle. In the second game of the night, Westminster defeated St. Johns, 37-33.
December 6, 1944
Red Bank Boogie, Count Basie’s salute to his hometown, was recorded on Columbia Records. The tune is a tribute to Red Bank, New Jersey.
December 11, 1944
The Chesterfield Supper Club debuted on NBC radio. Perry Como, Jo Stafford and many other stars of the day shared the spotlight on the 15-minute show that aired five nights a week. The show was sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes.
December 14, 1944
Major-league baseball representatives, who were meeting in New York City, decided to allow ball clubs to play night games any day except Sundays and holidays, providing the visiting team agreed. They also agreed to prohibit the scheduling of any football games before the home teams baseball season ended.
December 15, 1944
On this day, as World War II raged, news spread of the loss of an airplane somewhere over the English Channel between England and Paris. On board the ill-fated aircraft was Major Glenn Miller on his way to lead his Air Force Band in a Christmas concert.
December 16, 1944
The Battle of the Bulge, the final major German counteroffensive of World War II, began. Initially, the Nazi commanders were able to thrust deep into Allied territory in North and East Belgium, a 75-mile front, choosing a time when foggy, rainy weather prevailed. The Allies were taken by surprise, but recovered and repulsed the Nazi offensive by January 1945.
December 18, 1944
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Army’s removal of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast early in 1942 was constitutional at the time it was carried out, but that citizens must be permitted to return to their homes when their loyalty to U.S. was established. The tribunal acted in two cases. It upheld constitutionality of the removal program by a 6 to 3 decision, and was unanimous in holding that loyal citizens should be released. The ruling came one day after the war department announced that loyal citizens of Japanese ancestry would be permitted to return to their former homes after 33 months of enforced absence in relocation centers.
December 21, 1944
Horse racing was banned in the United States until after World War II.
December 24, 1944
The Andrews Sisters starred in the debut of The Andrews Sisters Eight-to-the-Bar Ranch on ABC radio. Patty, Maxene and LaVerne ran a fictional dude ranch. George Gabby Hayes was a regular guest along with Vic Schoen’s orchestra. The ranch stayed in operation until 1946.
December 28, 1944
The musical, On the Town, opened in New York City for a run of 462 performances. It was Leonard Bernsteins first big Broadway success. The shows hit song, New York, New York, continues to be successful.
December 15, 1954
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter was featured on Walt Disney's TV series for the first time. Crockett was played by Fess Parker. It wasn’t long before the Davy Crockett craze brought a new number one song to the pop music charts. Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier.
December 20, 1954
Buick Motor Company signed Jackie Gleason to one of the largest contracts ever entered into with an entertainer. Gleason agreed to produce 78 half-hour shows over a two-year period for $6,142,500.
December 23, 1954
The classic movie, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, was released. The film was one of Walt Disney’s most successful. Kirk Douglas and James Mason starred.
December 26, 1954
One of radios most popular programs, The Shadow, lurked around the airwaves for the last time. Vigilante crime-fighter Lamont Cranston battled greed and corruption since 1930. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows....
December 30, 1954
Pearl Bailey opened on Broadway in the play, House of Flowers, about two madams with rival bordellos. Diahann Carroll was also cast in the play, written by Truman Capote. Harold Arlen provided the musical score.
December 30, 1954
James Arness made his dramatic TV debut on the Lux Video Theatre in The Chase. (The Gunsmoke series didn’t begin for Arness until the fall of 1955.)
December 23, 1964
Radio Caroline and Radio Atlanta (later known as Caroline South and North) were joined at sea by Radio London, which arrived off Frinton (northeast of London) this day. The new ship/station brought a team of Americanized deejays, experienced in the art of selling themselves as much as the music. With catchy jingles and contagious slogans like Wonderful Radio London and Big L, Radio London soon became king of the U.K. pirate- radio scene.
December 26, 1964
More Beatles news: The Fab Four got their sixth #1 hit song since February 1, as I Feel Fine became the top tune this day. The first five #1 hits by The Beatles were: I Want to Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, Can’t Buy Me Love, Love Me Do and A Hard Days Night.
December 28, 1964
Principal filming of the movie classic, Doctor Zhivago, began on location near Madrid, Spain. When completed, the film was 197 minutes long and so spectacular that it received ten Oscar nominations, winning five of the Academy Awards, including Best Original Score.
MUSICAL HITS
1944
There Goes that Song Again - Russ Morgan
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
Don’t Fence Me In - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
I’m Wastin My Tears on You - Tex Ritter
The Trolley Song - The Pied Pipers
Dance with the Dolly - The Russ Morgan Orchestra (vocal: Al Jennings)
I’m Making Believe - Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots
Smoke on the Water - Red Foley
1954
Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes
Teach Me Tonight - The De Castro Sisters
The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane - The Ames Brothers
More and More - Webb Pierce
Count Your Blessings - Eddie Fisher
Dim Dim the Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere) - Bill Haley & His Comets
Let Me Go, Lover! - Teresa Brewer
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
1964
Come See About Me - The Supremes
Goin’ Out of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials
Once a Day - Connie Smith
I Feel Fine - The Beatles
She’s a Woman - The Beatles
Ringo - Lorne Greene
Leader of the Pack - The Shangri-Las
Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton
She’s Not There - The Zombies
Published in U S Legacies Magazine December 2004
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