Today is Monday, December twenty third, the 358th day of 2024. There are eight days left within the 12 months.
Today in history:
On December 23, 2003, a jury in Chesapeake, Virginia, sentenced teenage sniper Lee Boyd Malvo to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty.
Also on this date:
In 1823, the poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” was published anonymously within the Troy Sentinel of New York; The verse, higher often known as “The Night Before Christmas,” was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.
In 1941, during World War II, American forces surrendered to Japanese forces on Wake Island.
In 1948, former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and 6 other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo.
In 1968, 82 crew members of the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo were released by North Korea 11 months after their capture.
In 1972, in an NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, Steelers running back Franco Harris scored a game-winning touchdown with a deflected pass with lower than 10 seconds left in the sport. The “Immaculate Reception,” because the catch was called, is commonly considered the best NFL play of all time.
In 1986, the Voyager experimental aircraft piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana (JEE'-nuh) Yeager accomplished the primary non-stop, fuel-free flight world wide and returned safely to Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Today's birthdays:
- Former Japanese Emperor Akihito is 91 years old.
- Actor and comedian Harry Shearer is 81.
- Retired U.S. Army General Wesley K. Clark is 80 years old.
- Actress Susan Lucci is 78.
- Distance runner Bill Rodgers is 77.
- Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is 76.
- Political commentator William Kristol is 72 years old.
- Author Donna Tartt is 61.
- Pearl Jam rock musician Eddie Vedder is 60.
- Actor Finn Wolfhard is 22.
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