1899 – US takes possession of Wake Island in the Pacific.
1916 – Rodman Wanamaker organizes a lunch to discuss forming a golfers association (later the PGA) at the Taplow Club, Martinique Hotel, New York City.
1920 – First day of prohibition of alcohol comes into effect in the US as a result of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.
1929 – Popeye makes 1st appearance, in comic strip “Thimble Theater”
1934 – NY Giants reward NL MVP pitcher Carl Hubbell with a huge $18,000 contract.
1943 – Tin Can Drive Day in the US, salvage collected for the war effort.
1950 – “Alive & Kicking” opens at Winter Garden Theater for 46 performances.
1950 – The Great Brinks Robbery – 11 men rob $1.2 million cash & $1.5 million securities from armored car company Brink’s offices in Boston, Massachusetts.
1961 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers a televised farewell address to the nation three days before leaving the office, in which he warns against the accumulation of power by the “military-industrial complex”
1966 – Martin Luther King Jr., opens campaign in Chicago.
1970 – Sporting News names Willie Mays as Player of the Decade for the 1960s.
1976 – “I Write the Songs” cover by Barry Manilow hits #1.
1982 – “Cold Sunday” in the United States would see temperatures fall to their lowest levels in over 100 years in numerous cities.
1984 – Supreme Court rules 5-4 that private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing does no violate federal copyright laws.
1987 – US President Ronald Reagan signs secret order permitting covert sale of arms to Iran.
1990 – Dave Stewart signs record $3,500,000 per year Oakland “A” contract.
1996 – Iraq agrees to talks concerning a UN plan to allow for the Iraqi sale of $1 billion of oil, proceeds from the sale would be used for humanitarian purposes.
1998 – President Bill Clinton faces sexual harassment charges from Paula Jones.
2012 – LeBron James becomes youngest player in NBA history to record 20,000 career points during the Miami Heat’s 92-75 victory over Golden State: James,28 years, 17 days, passes Kobe Bryant, 29 years, 122 days.
2017 – President Barack Obama commutes WikiLeaks discloser Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence from 35 to 7 years.
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