December 5
1776 - The first scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
1782 - Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States and the first to be born after the country was formed, was born in Kinderhook, New York.
1791 - Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna, Austria at age 35.
1792 - President George Washington was re-elected to a second term and John Adams was re-elected vice president.
1831 - Former President John Quincy Adams took his seat as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
1848 - President James K. Polk triggered the Gold Rush of 1848 by confirming gold had been discovered in California.
1872 - Having left New York on Nov. 5, the brigantine Mary Celeste was found adrift off Portugal with everyone aboard mysteriously missing.
1901 - Walt Disney, the pioneer of animated cartoon films and founder of the Disney theme parks, was born in Chicago.
1933 - The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, repealing prohibition (the 18th Amendment), was ratified.
1945 - Five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers mysteriously disappeared after taking off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a training mission with the loss of all 14 crew members; "The Lost Squadron" contributed to the legend of the Bermuda Triangle.
1952 - The Great Smog of London descended on the British capital; the unusually thick fog, which contained toxic pollutants, lasted five days and was blamed for causing thousands of deaths.
1955 - The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO.
1977 - Egypt broke diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen in the wake of criticism that followed President Anwar Sadat's peace overtures to Israel.
1988 - A federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted PTL founder Jim Bakker and former aide Richard Dortch on fraud and conspiracy charges. (Bakker was convicted on all counts; Dortch pleaded guilty to four counts and cooperated with prosecutors in exchange for a lighter sentence. Bakker was initially sentenced to 45 years in prison; the term was eventually reduced to eight years, and he served a total of about five.)
1994 - Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades.
1996 - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan questioned whether the stock market was overvalued due to investors' "irrational exuberance".
2002 - At. Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration, Senate Republican leader Trent Lott praised Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential bid. Lott subsequently resigned his leadership position.
2004 - Hamid Karzi was sworn in as Afghanistan's first popularly elected president.
2006 - New York became the first city in the nation to ban artery-clogging trans fats at restaurants.
2007 - A 19-year-old gunman went on a shooting rampage at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, killing six store employees and two customers before taking his own life. President George W. Bush, in Omaha for a fundraiser, called on Iran to "come clean" about the scope of its nuclear activities or else face diplomatic isolation (Bush left the city about an hour before the mall shooting).
2008 - A judge in Las Vegas sentenced O.J. Simpson to 33 years in prison (with eligibility for parole after nine) for an armed robbery at a hotel room.
2009 - An Italian jury convicts Amanda Knox, an American student, of murdering her former roommate, English student Meredith Kercher, in 2007.
2013 - Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, died at age 95.
Birthdays
20 - Sophie Simnett (actress)
23 - Alexandra Beaton (actress)
26 - Christian Yelich (baseball player)
32 - Frankie Muniz (actor)
33 - Lauren London (actress)
35 - Keri Hilson (actress)
41 - Amy Acker (actress)
42 - Paula Patton (actress)
46 - Kali Rocha (actress)
47 - Michelle Toussaint (R&B singer)
50 - Gary Allan (country singer)
59 - Dynamite Kid (professional wrestler)
===================================
Today in Sports History - December 5
1891 - Nebraska defeated Doane 32-0 to end the year with a 2-2 record.
1908 - The University of Pittsburgh became the first football team to use numerals on jerseys.
1920 - A professional football playoff game between Akron and Buffalo ended in a 0-0 tie, leaving the championship undecided for the year.
1931 - Nebraska defeated Colorado State 20-7 in a postseason charity game. Nebraska ended the year with a 8-2 record.
1941 - The Football Writers Association of America is formed.
1943 - The NFL's Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers merger is dissolved.
1947 - Joe Louis beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
1948 - New York Giants' Charley Conerly sets NFL record of 36 pass completions.
1970 - Los Angeles Rams' Willie Ellison sets NFL record of 247 yards rushing.
1970 - Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, and Bill Masterson trophy stolen from NHL hall of fame.
1972 - Nebraska receiver and return specialist Johnny Rodgers wins the Heisman Trophy.
1973 - Chicago Cubs' Ron Santo became first baseball player to veto his trade.
1978 - Free agent Pete Rose signs 4-year, US$32 million contract with Philadelphia Phillies, making Rose highest paid baseball player.
1981 - USC running back Marcus Allen wins the Heisman Trophy.
1983 - Steve Howe (Los Angeles Dodgers) was suspended for 1 year for cocaine use.
1983 - The video arcade game "NFL Football" was unveiled in Chicago. It was the first video arcade game to be licensed by the National Football League.
1983 - Nebraska running back Mike Rozier wins the Heisman Trophy.
1987 - Notre Dame receiver Tim Brown wins the Heisman Trophy.
1992 - #11 Nebraska defeated Kansas State 38-24. The game was played at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.
1995 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) passed for 300 yards in a game for the 52nd time to set an NFL record.
1996 - Portland's Jermaine O'Neal, 18, becomes youngest NBA player.
1998 - D.C. United defeats Vasco da Gama 2 - 1 on aggregate to win the Interamerican Cup (one of the greatest triumphs in the history of U.S. club soccer).
2000 - Karl Malone (Utah Jazz) moved past Wilt Chamberlain into second place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
2002 - Michal Handzus (Philadelphia Flyers) became only the second NHL player to score an overtime goal on a penalty shot. The Flyers beat the New York Rangers 3-2.
2009 - #3 Texas defeated #22 Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas.
1776 - The first scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
1782 - Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States and the first to be born after the country was formed, was born in Kinderhook, New York.
1791 - Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna, Austria at age 35.
1792 - President George Washington was re-elected to a second term and John Adams was re-elected vice president.
1831 - Former President John Quincy Adams took his seat as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
1848 - President James K. Polk triggered the Gold Rush of 1848 by confirming gold had been discovered in California.
1872 - Having left New York on Nov. 5, the brigantine Mary Celeste was found adrift off Portugal with everyone aboard mysteriously missing.
1901 - Walt Disney, the pioneer of animated cartoon films and founder of the Disney theme parks, was born in Chicago.
1933 - The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, repealing prohibition (the 18th Amendment), was ratified.
1945 - Five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers mysteriously disappeared after taking off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a training mission with the loss of all 14 crew members; "The Lost Squadron" contributed to the legend of the Bermuda Triangle.
1952 - The Great Smog of London descended on the British capital; the unusually thick fog, which contained toxic pollutants, lasted five days and was blamed for causing thousands of deaths.
1955 - The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO.
1977 - Egypt broke diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen in the wake of criticism that followed President Anwar Sadat's peace overtures to Israel.
1988 - A federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted PTL founder Jim Bakker and former aide Richard Dortch on fraud and conspiracy charges. (Bakker was convicted on all counts; Dortch pleaded guilty to four counts and cooperated with prosecutors in exchange for a lighter sentence. Bakker was initially sentenced to 45 years in prison; the term was eventually reduced to eight years, and he served a total of about five.)
1994 - Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades.
1996 - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan questioned whether the stock market was overvalued due to investors' "irrational exuberance".
2002 - At. Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration, Senate Republican leader Trent Lott praised Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential bid. Lott subsequently resigned his leadership position.
2004 - Hamid Karzi was sworn in as Afghanistan's first popularly elected president.
2006 - New York became the first city in the nation to ban artery-clogging trans fats at restaurants.
2007 - A 19-year-old gunman went on a shooting rampage at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, killing six store employees and two customers before taking his own life. President George W. Bush, in Omaha for a fundraiser, called on Iran to "come clean" about the scope of its nuclear activities or else face diplomatic isolation (Bush left the city about an hour before the mall shooting).
2008 - A judge in Las Vegas sentenced O.J. Simpson to 33 years in prison (with eligibility for parole after nine) for an armed robbery at a hotel room.
2009 - An Italian jury convicts Amanda Knox, an American student, of murdering her former roommate, English student Meredith Kercher, in 2007.
2013 - Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, died at age 95.
Birthdays
20 - Sophie Simnett (actress)
23 - Alexandra Beaton (actress)
26 - Christian Yelich (baseball player)
32 - Frankie Muniz (actor)
33 - Lauren London (actress)
35 - Keri Hilson (actress)
41 - Amy Acker (actress)
42 - Paula Patton (actress)
46 - Kali Rocha (actress)
47 - Michelle Toussaint (R&B singer)
50 - Gary Allan (country singer)
59 - Dynamite Kid (professional wrestler)
===================================
Today in Sports History - December 5
1891 - Nebraska defeated Doane 32-0 to end the year with a 2-2 record.
1908 - The University of Pittsburgh became the first football team to use numerals on jerseys.
1920 - A professional football playoff game between Akron and Buffalo ended in a 0-0 tie, leaving the championship undecided for the year.
1931 - Nebraska defeated Colorado State 20-7 in a postseason charity game. Nebraska ended the year with a 8-2 record.
1941 - The Football Writers Association of America is formed.
1943 - The NFL's Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers merger is dissolved.
1947 - Joe Louis beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
1948 - New York Giants' Charley Conerly sets NFL record of 36 pass completions.
1970 - Los Angeles Rams' Willie Ellison sets NFL record of 247 yards rushing.
1970 - Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, and Bill Masterson trophy stolen from NHL hall of fame.
1972 - Nebraska receiver and return specialist Johnny Rodgers wins the Heisman Trophy.
1973 - Chicago Cubs' Ron Santo became first baseball player to veto his trade.
1978 - Free agent Pete Rose signs 4-year, US$32 million contract with Philadelphia Phillies, making Rose highest paid baseball player.
1981 - USC running back Marcus Allen wins the Heisman Trophy.
1983 - Steve Howe (Los Angeles Dodgers) was suspended for 1 year for cocaine use.
1983 - The video arcade game "NFL Football" was unveiled in Chicago. It was the first video arcade game to be licensed by the National Football League.
1983 - Nebraska running back Mike Rozier wins the Heisman Trophy.
1987 - Notre Dame receiver Tim Brown wins the Heisman Trophy.
1992 - #11 Nebraska defeated Kansas State 38-24. The game was played at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.
1995 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) passed for 300 yards in a game for the 52nd time to set an NFL record.
1996 - Portland's Jermaine O'Neal, 18, becomes youngest NBA player.
1998 - D.C. United defeats Vasco da Gama 2 - 1 on aggregate to win the Interamerican Cup (one of the greatest triumphs in the history of U.S. club soccer).
2000 - Karl Malone (Utah Jazz) moved past Wilt Chamberlain into second place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
2002 - Michal Handzus (Philadelphia Flyers) became only the second NHL player to score an overtime goal on a penalty shot. The Flyers beat the New York Rangers 3-2.
2009 - #3 Texas defeated #22 Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas.
