Today in History - History - December 7th

1988Rangers sign free-agent pitcher Nolan Ryan to a one-year contract

1964George Harrison changes his company's name from Mornyork to Harrisongs

1877Thomas Edison demonstrates his phonograph (gramophone) to the editors of "Scientific American"

1931Bradman scores 219 NSW v South Africa, 234 mins, 15 fours

1990Iraqi parliment endorses Saddam Hussein's decision to free hostages

1975Pat Bradley wins Colgate-Far East Ladies Tournament Golf Tournament

1836Martin Van Buren elected 8th president

1993Robert Goulet undergoes prostate cancer surgery

1994Radio personality Howard Stern talks a man out of attempting suicide

1988Mikhail Gorbachev cheered by Wall St crowds upon arrival in NYC

1947Johnny Bench, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, MLB catcher (Reds)

1956Larry Bird, West Baden, Indiana, NBA star (Boston Celtics, 12-time NBA All Star)

1598Giovanni Bernini, Naples, Kingdom of Naples, baroque sculptor (St Teresa in Ecstasy), (d. 1680)

1928Noam Chomsky, linguist (founded transformational grammar)

2003Queen of hip-hop soul, Mary Jane Blige (32) weds record producer Kendu Isaacs in Bergen County, New Jersey

1929Nizari Imam Aga Khan III (52) weds Andrée Joséphine Carron in Aix-les-Bains, France

43 BCCicero, Roman politician and orator, killed as part of the proscriptions at 63

2011Harry Morgan, American actor (Colonel Potter-M*A*S*H) dies at 96

1970Rube Goldberg, US cartoonist (Mike & Ike, Pulitzer 1948), dies at 87

1902Thomas Nast, US political cartoonist, dies aged 62