This Date in History - December 27

 

It's amazing how slow a news day it was for two days after Christmas.   But, it is John Amos' birthday, so good for him.

537:  THE HAGIA SOPHIA IS COMPLETED.

Who?  What?  Why?

1657:  THE FLUSHING REMONSTRANCE IS SIGNED.

I have no clue as long as it has nothing to do with toilets.

1703:  PORTUGAL AND ENGLAND SIGN THE METHUEN TREATY WHICH GIVES PREFERENCE TO PORTUGUESE IMPORTED WINES INTO ENGLAND.

Now we're paying attention.

1831:  CHARLES DARWIN EMBARKS ON HIS JOURNEY ABOARD THE HMS BEAGLE DURING WHICH HE WILL BEGIN TO FORMULATE HIS THEORY OF EVOLUTION.

Some people go on cruises for the food.   Darwin goes to figure out evolution.

1836:  THE WORST EVER AVALANCHE IN ENGLAND KILLS EIGHT PEOPLE.

For the worst ever, you would expect more than eight people dead, right?

1845:  ETHER ANESTHETIC IS USED FOR CHILDBIRTH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN GEORGIA.

100, 99, 98......zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

1901:  ACTRESS MARLENE DIETRICH IS BORN.

Alert the boys in the back room.

1905:  COMIC CLIFF ARQUETTE IS BORN.

Charlie Weaver to block.

1911:  "JANA GANA MANA," THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA, IS FIRST SUNG IN THE CALCUTTA SESSION OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS.

Which means every worker in 7/11 stops for two minutes.

1927:  "SHOW BOAT," CONSIDERED TO BE THE FIRST TRUE AMERICAN MUSICAL PLAY, OPENS AT THE ZIEGFELD IN NEW YORK.

That ole man river....

1932:  RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL OPENS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

The first movie did not appear until the next month.   The film?  "The Bitter Tea of General Yen."

1935:  REGINA JONAS IS ORDAINED AS THE FIRST FEMALE RABBI IN THE HISTORY OF JUDAISM.

Oy.

1939:  ACTOR JOHN AMOS IS BORN.

Most people remember him from "Roots" or "Good Times."   I recall him as Gordy the Weatherman on "Mary Tyler Moore."

1945:  THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND IS CREATED WITH THE SIGNINGS OF AN AGREEMENT BY 29 NATIONS.

Couldn't make it an even 30?

1966:  THE CAVE OF SWALLOWS, THE LARGEST KNOWN CAVE SHAFT IN THE WORLD, IS DISCOVERED IN MEXICO.

Those swallows who did not make it to Capistrano.

1968:  APOLLO 8 SPLASHES DOWN IN THE PACIFIC, ENDING THE FIRST ORBITAL MANNED MISSION TO THE MOON.

Not counting Alice Kramden's trip there in 1955.

1978:  SPAIN BECOMES A DEMOCRACY AFTER 40 YEARS OF FASCIST DICTATORSHIP.

Because as Chevy Chase told us, that Franco guy finally died.

1983:  POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITS MEHMET ALI AGCA IN PRISON AND PERSONALLY FORGIVES HIM FOR THE 1981 ATTACK ON HIM.

"But don't do it again."

1985:  PALESTINIAN GUERRILLAS KILL 18 PEOPLE INSIDE THE AIRPORTS OF ROME, ITALY, AND VIENNA.

Random, I think not.

2002:  DIRECTOR GEORGE ROY HILL DIES.

Of all his great films, I think "A Little Romance" was my favorite.

2007:  FORMER PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO IS ASSASSINATED.

Bye, Bye, Bhutto.

2012:  GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF DIES.

Atten-shun.

2015:  HARLEM GLOBETROTTER MEADOWLARK LEMON DIES.

Fouled out.

2016:  ACTRESS CARRIE FISHER DIES.

You may have read this somewhere.

Dinner last night:  Leftover beef tenderloin.