Today in History - History - December 25th

1492Columbus' ship Santa Maria runs aground and sinks on Hispaniola

1964George Harrison's girlfriend Patti Boyd attacked by female Beatle fans

1832Charles Darwin celebrates Christmas in St Martin at Cape Receiver

2008Phil Jackson becomes the sixth coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games

800Pope Leo III crowns Charles the Great (Charlemagne), Roman emperor

1977Israeli PM Menachem Begin meets Egyptian Pres Sadat in Egypt

1896"Stars & Stripes Forever" written by John Philip Sousa

2013"The Wolf of Wall Street", starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, is released

1940Bradman out 1st ball for SA v Victoria before 6213

1835Charles Darwin celebrates Christmas in Pahia, New Zealand

1971Justin Trudeau, Ottawa Ontario, Canadian political leader

1821Clara Barton, Oxford Mass, nurse/founder (American Red Cross), (d. 1912)

1642Isaac Newton, Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, England, physicist, mathematician; astronomer (Gravity, Laws of Motion), (d.1727)

1971Dido, Kensington, London, pop singer and rap/dance music vocalist (Eminem's 'Stan', 'No Angel')

1871Writer Ambrose Bierce (29) weds Mary Ellen Day

1871Inventor Thomas Edison (24) marries 1st wife Mary Stilwell (16)

1977Charlie Chaplin, actor/comedian (Modern Times, The Kid), dies in Switzerland at 88

1635Samuel de Champlain, French explorer and founder of Quebec City, dies of a stroke at 61