DECEMBER 24, 2010
December 24 is … National Egg Nog Day
Don’t worry tonight if you hear on the lawn such a clatter. Soon you will know it is not much of a matter.
I wish everybody a Happy Christmas Eve. Let the party begin! If you are about driving, be careful of reindeer around the roads. They often use roads as runways. We don’t want any accidents to interfere with the joy of the season.
Nothing too serious will be written about today today. It is time to relax and enjoy good fellowship with family and friends. I did hear three wise guys were seen in Bethlehem. Apparently they are not Greek since they were bearing gifts and on one was concerned.
On this date:
1818 - Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany composed the music for Silent Night to words written by Josef Mohr. The traditional song was sung for the first time during Midnight Mass this night.
1867 - “Oh by gosh by golly!” Is it that time already? It was Christmas Eve that R.H. Macy’s department store in New York City remained open until midnight to catch last-minute shoppers. The store took in a record $6,000, giving itself a very Merry Christmas.
1871 - Opera-goers in Cairo, Egypt were treated to Verdi’s Aida in its world premiere. The composer was commissioned to write the opera for festivities celebrating the opening of the Suez Canal.
1889 - Daniel Stover and William Hance, of Freeport, Illinois, were up late putting together bicycles for their tiny tots when, lo and behold, they patented the back pedal brake! It would later be known as the safety brake and became a standard feature on most brands of bikes. Today, we have 18 gears on a bike (more than on a big rig truck!). We need two hands to use the brakes instead of just pedaling backwards with our feet. Ah, those were the days.
1906 - Professor Reginald A. Fessenden sent his first radio broadcast from Brant Rock, MA. The program included a little verse, some violin and a speech.
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. Oh, they decided not to eliminate the forward pass (just in case you hadn’t noticed).
1928 - The first broadcast of The Voice of Firestone was heard. The program aired each Monday evening at 8:00. The Voice of Firestone became a hallmark in radio broadcasting. It kept its same night, time (in 1931 the start time changed to 8:30) and sponsor for its entire run. Beginning on September 5, 1949, the program of classical and semi classical music was also seen on television.
1948 - The first completely solar-heated house was occupied by the first solar-heated people -- in Dover, MA.
1950 - Coach Paul Brown won his fifth straight pro-football championship as Lou Groza kicked a field goal in the final 20 seconds. The Cleveland Browns edged the Los Angeles Rams, 30-28.
1951 - NBC-TV presented the first opera written for television. Amal and the Night Visitors became a Christmas classic.
1953 - Dragnet, starring Jack Webb as Detective Joe Friday, became the first network program to be sponsored. Dragnet was on NBC-TV, for you who want the facts, just the facts. “Who was the sponsor, you ask?” Fatima cigarettes!
1955 - The lovely Lennon Sisters debuted as featured vocalists on The Lawrence Welk Show on ABC-TV. They became regulars with Welk within a month and stayed on the show until 1968.
1976 - Takeo Fukuda became prime minister of Japan. He was the political boss until Dec 1978.
1977 - The Bee Gees spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve at the top of the music charts. How Deep is Your Love became #1 this day and stayed that way for three weeks.
1981 - Reggie Jackson picked Christmas Eve to announce that he would join Gene Autry’s California Angels for the 1982 season.
Chart Toppers on this date:
1945
1953 Ebb Tide - The Frank Chacksfield Orchestra
1961 The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
1969 Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul & Mary
1977 How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees
1985 Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
You better hurry. Today is a great day to buy my book. It makes a great gift for anyone including, yourself. Buy it while you still have money. There is just one shopping day left before Christmas; buy now and beat the rush.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2010
Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
www.brucebrennanlaws.com
www.lawyerbruceabrennan.com
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search, Check this site out.
