Today in History - History - December 8th

1949"On the Town", the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, is released

1915John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields" appears anonymously in "Punch" magazine

1966A terrible Yankee trade, Roger Maris for Card's Charlie Smith

1914Irving Berlin's musical "Watch your Step" premieres in NYC

1914Connie Mack sells Eddie Collins to the White Sox

1963Mickey Wright/Dave Ragan Jr wins LPGA Haig & Haig Scotch Mixed Golf

198473rd Australian Men Tennis: Mats Wilander beats K Curren (67 64 76 62)

19934th Billboard Music Awards: Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard Soundtrack win

1886American Federation of Labor (AFL) formed by 26 craft unions Samuel Gompers elected AFL president

1776George Washington's retreating army crosses Delaware River from NJ

65 BCHorace, Venusia, Lucania, Roman Republian poet (Odes), (d. 8 BC)

1962Steve Elkington, Inverell New South Wales, Australian golfer (1995 PGA Championship)

1542Mary Stuart, Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, Queen of Scotland (1560-1587), (d. 1587)

1953Sam Kinison, Yakima, Washington, screaming comedian and actor (Back to School, Charlie Hoover)

1943Jim Morrison, American poet, singer (The Doors) (d. 1971)

1886Diego Rivera, [Lenin of Mexico], Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, painter/wife of Frida Kahlo (En el Arsenal ), (d. 1957)

1765Eli Whitney, Westborough Massachusetts, inventor (Cotton Gin)

1982Nicki Minaj, Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidadian-born American rapper and singer (Super Bass, Starships)

1872Religious leader Brigham Young (71) weds his fifty-fifth wife Hannah Tapfield in Salt Lake City, Utah

1950NBA player Bob Cousy (22) weds his college sweetheart Missie Ritterbusch

1942Albert Kahn, architect of Detroit, dies at 73

1980John Lennon, shot and killed in NY by Mark David Chapman at 40