This Day in History – December 14, 2011

0557 – Constantinople is severely damaged by an earthquake. 1287 – St. Lucia’s flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses, killing over 50,000 people. 1542 – Princess Mary Stuart becomes Mary, Queen of Scots. 1751 – The Theresian Military Academy is founded as the first Military Academy in the world. 1774 – Massachusetts militiamen successfully attacked arsenal of Fort William & Mary 1782 – The Montgolfier brothers’ first balloon lifts off on its first test flight. 1782 – Charleston SC evacuated by British 1793 – 1st state road authorized, Frankfort KY to Cincinnati OH 1814 – War of 1812: The Royal Navy seizes control of Lake Borgne, Louisiana. 1819 – Alabama becomes the 22nd U.S. state. 1849 – 1st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert (Boston) 1889 – American Academy of Political & Social Science organized, Philadelphia 1903 – The Wright brothers make their first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 1911 – Roald Amundsen’s team, comprising himself, Olav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, and Oscar Wisting, becomes the first to reach the South Pole. 1913 – Greece formally takes possession of Crete 1915 – Jack Johnson is 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion 1946 – The United Nations General Assembly votes to establish its headquarters in New York City. 1953 – Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax 1955 – Tappan Zee Bridge in New York opens to traffic 1961 – Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John” is 1st country song to get a gold record 1963 – Baldwin Hills Reservoir wall bursts, killing five people and damaging hundreds of homes in Los Angeles. 1963 Verne Gagne beats The Crusher in Minneapolis, to become NWA champion 1964 – American Civil Rights Movement: Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States – The United States Supreme Court rules that the U.S. Congress can use the Constitution’s Commerce Clause power to fight discrimination. 1969 – Jackson Five made their 1st appearance on “Ed Sullivan Show” 1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan is the last person to walk on the moon, after he and Harrison Schmitt complete the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) of the Apollo 17 mission. This is the last manned mission to the moon of the 20th century. 1977 – “Saturday Night Fever”, starring John Travolta, premieres in NYC 1980 – New Orleans Saints end 14 game losing streak, beat New York Jets 21-20 1984 – Howard Cosell retires from Monday Night Football 1988 – US agrees to talk to Palestine Liberation Organization (1st time in 13 years) 1990 – Right to Die case permits Nancy Cruzan to have her feeding tube removed, she dies 12 days later 1992 – Lennox Lewis given WBC title, when Riddick Bowe refuses to fight him 1995 – AIDS patient Jeff Getty recieves baboon bone marrow transplant 2008 – President George W. Bush makes his fourth and final (planned) trip to Iraq as president and is almost struck by two shoes thrown at him by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi during a news conference in Baghdad.]]]]> ]]>