Today in History - History - December 23rd

1913President Woodrow Wilson signs Federal Reserve Act into law

1961Fidel Castro announces Cuba will release 1,113 prisoners from failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion for $62M worth of food & medical supplies

1997Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson is quickest to reach 500 wins (682 games)

1987Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, serving a life sentence for attempted assassination of Pres Gerald R Ford escapes from Alderson Prison

19707,511th performance of Agatha Christie's play "The Mousetrap" (record)

1994Fearing arrest by the FBI, Whitey Bulger flees Boston, and successfully hides from law enforcement for the next 16 years

1888Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cuts off his left ear

1930Bette Davis arrives in Hollywood under contract to Universal Studios

1783General George Washington resigns his military commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Army to Congress

1793Thomas Jefferson warned of slave revolts in West Indies

1891Cy Denneny, Farran's Point Ontario, Canadian ice hockey hall of famer

245Zenobia, Palmyra, Syria, Queen of Palmyra, (d. 274)

1805Joseph Smith Jr, Sharon Vermont, founder (Mormon Church), (d. 1844)

1867Madame C. J. Walker, Louisiana, cosmetic mogul (Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company), (d. 1919)

1951MLB centerfielder Mickey Mantle (20) weds author Merlyn Mantle (19) in Commerce, Oklahoma

1979Stevie Ray Vaughan (25) weds Lenora "Lenny" Bailey (div. 1988)

1997Woody Allen, 62 weds Soon-Yi Previn 27, adopted daughter of Mia Farrow

1961Actor Martin Sheen (21) weds Janet Templeton

1981Astronaut Chris Hadfield (22) weds high-school girlfriend Helene Walter

2007"Dr. Izzie Stevens" actress Katherine Heigl (29) weds singer-songwriter Josh Kelley (27) at Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah