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What happened in history on this day: December 8?
Since 1995, I have been collecting information on a variety of topics,
creating several timelines of history.
Here you will find specific events from those databases
for this day, on the topics of personal computers, video games, the Walt Disney Company,
Chevrolet Corvettes, A&W Root Beer, Sweden, and Canadian coins.
On December 8 in ...
- 1975 - Paul Jay Terrell opens the Byte Shop, in Mountain View, California, one of the first computer stores in the United States.
- 1982 - Warner Communications announces that fourth quarter earnings would be poor, due to sluggish sales in its Atari video games division.
- 1941 - The US Navy orders a series of 20 films on aircraft and warship identifications, at a cost of US$4,500 each.
- 1944 - The Donald Duck film Donald's Day Off is released to theaters. Huey, Dewey, and Louie also appear.
- 1954 - The ABC TV network airs the Disneyland TV show, featuring the documentary, Operation Undersea about the making of the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
- 1963 - The NBC TV network airs the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color show, featuring Pollyanna, part two.
- 1974 - The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Stub, the Best Cowdog in the West. The film is an updated version of Cow Dog.
- 1996 - Disney gives a sneak preview of the film The Preacher's Wife in New York City.
- 1996 - The Disney Channel airs the last episode of the Avonlea TV show.
- 1999 - Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Cradle Will Rock to theaters in the USA.
- 2004 - Disney announces that it will support the Blu-ray Disc format for video releases in North America and Japan when the discs become available. A single disc can hold up to 50 GB of data.
- 2006 - Disney releases the Touchstone film Apocalypto to theaters in the USA.
- 2021 - Disney+ premieres Welcome to Earth.
- 1957 - The Nassau Trophy race is held in the Bahamas. Curtis Turner races the Bill France #92 Corvette SR-2, but does not finish.
- 1963 - At the International Bahamas Speed Week races in Nassau, the 252-mile Nassau Trophy race is held.
- Finishing 1st in prototype class and 4th overall is the #50 Corvette Grand Sport #004 driven by Richard Thompson.
- Finishing 3rd in prototype class and 8th overall is the #65 Corvette Grand Sport #003 driven by John Cannon.
A Cobra places 7th overall.
- 1999 - Sony CEA releases the Gran Turismo 2 video game for the PlayStation in the US. Included are the following driveable Corvette models: 1967, 1969 427 ci, 1982, 1995 ZR-1, 1996 coupe, 1996 Grand Sport.
- 1940 - In Egypt, British troops pass through a gap in a chain of Italian defensive camps near Sidi Barrani, preparing to attack from the rear the following day.
- 1941 - (pre-dawn) Japanese forces attack Shanghai, China.
- 1941 - (dawn) Japanese naval unit of 490 men lands on Batan Island between Luzon and Formosa.
- 1941 - (morning, Berlin) Adolf Hitler issues orders for the German Navy to attack American ships anywhere.
- 1941 - (0800 hours) Japanese forces begin an assault on Hong Kong. Japanese aircraft attack the Kai Tak airport on Hong Kong, destroying or damaging all six Royal Air Force aircraft in the first few minutes.
- 1941 - (0930 hours) 25 Japanese army bomber planes attack Tuguegarao and Baguio on Luzon, Philippines.
- 1941 - (about 1200 hours) 36 Japanese Mitsubishi bombers from the Marshall Islands attack Wake Island. They destroy 7 F4F Wildcats on the ground, and kill 20.
- 1941 - American President Roosevelt makes a speech in Congress, declaring December 7 "a date which will live in infamy". Congress declares war on Japan.
- 1941 - Japanese forces begin the occupation of Siam.
- 1941 - The Japanese 38th Division attacks Hong Kong, via Kowloon.
- 1941 - In the Philippines, American General Douglas MacArthur learns of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
- 1941 - Japanese bombers and fighters attack Luzon in the Philippine Islands. They destroy many Curtiss P-40 fighters, B-17 bombers, and one of two operational radar stations.
- 1941 - Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 39, ordering the immediate capture of Sevastopol, and a halt to other offensive operations on the eastern front.
- 1941 - German Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb of Army Group North pulls back across the frozen Volkhov River.
- 1941 - In Germany, Reinhard Heydrich postpones the conference on Jews in Wannsee.
- 1941 - (1215 hours) 108 Japanese bomber planes and 84 fighter planes catch US bombers and fighters fueled on ground at Clark Field, Philippines. Another 54 Japanese bombers and 50 fighters attack over Iba Field. Altogether they destroy 17 B-17 bombers, 56 fighters, 30 other aircraft, many important installations, and 230 men killed or wounded. Only 7 Japanese fighter planes are shot down.
- 1941 - (1300 hours, Berlin) Japanese Ambassador to Berlin Oshima tells Joachim von Ribbentrop that Japan wishes Germany and Italy to issue formal declarations of war on America at once.
- 1942 - (dawn) The German 11th Panzer Division counterattacks Russian forces that crossed the Chir River, successfully holding back Russian counterattacks over four days.
- 1942 - Japan issues two semi-postal postage stamps marking the first anniversary of the Greater East Asia War.
- 1942 - The Canadian germ warfare group formally proposes producing anthrax for Britain. The proposal estimates that a new facility at Grosse Ile, Quebec, should be able to make enough for 1500 30-pound bombs per week.
- 1942 - United States President Franklin Roosevelt receives a 20-page report from Rabbi Perlzweig on the situation of Jews in Europe, stating that nearly 2 million had already been killed.
- 1943 - In Italy, the 2nd and 3rd battalions of US 143rd Infantry Division approach San Pietro again, but are thrown back again. Over a 36-hour period, losses are 60 percent.
- 1943 - Nicaragua issues two postage stamps marking the 2nd anniversary of the country's declaration of war against the Axis powers.
- 1943 - (afternoon) Canadian artillery begin a barrage of the Moro Valley in Italy, in preparation for infantry of the 1st Division to assault it in the morning.
- 1944 - In France, the US 4th Armored Division is pulled back from heavy fighting after reaching the Maginot Line.
- 1989 - The Falklands Islands issues four stamps to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate. Stamps depict British Commodore Harwood and ship HMS Ajax, and German Captain Hans Langsdorff and Admiral Graf Spee.
- 1982 - Atari sues Coleco Industries for US$350 million, charging patent infringement, for Coleco's Expansion Module No. 1, which allows Atari 2600 cartridges to be played on the ColecoVision system. Coleco countersues for US$500 million claiming Atari violates antitrust laws.
- 1982 - Warner Communications announces that fourth quarter earnings would be substantially below expectations, due to sluggish sales in its Atari video games division.
- 1999 - Sony CEA releases the Gran Turismo 2 video game for the PlayStation in the US.
- 2000 - Sony releases a new version of the PlayStation 2 in Japan, model SCPH-8000. It has built-in DVD drivers, a DVD remote control, but no memory card. Price is 39800 yen (about US$390).
- 2000 - Enix releases the Dragon Quest III Remix video game for the Game Boy Color in Japan.
- 2002 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. A character plays a handheld video game closely resembling a Nintendo Game Boy.
- 1626 - In Stockholm, Kristina is born to King Gustav Adolf and Maria Eleonora.
- 1644 - Kristina, daughter of the late King Gustav Adolf, is proclaimed of age on her 18th birthday, and becomes ruling Queen of Sweden.
- 1907 - On the death of King Oskar II, Prince Gustav is proclaimed King Gustav V.
- 1912 - The Nobel Prize in physics is awarded to Swede Gustaf Dalén.
- 1992 - The last blast is fired in the Falu Copper Mine in central Sweden. The mine operation is claimed to be the world's oldest industrial worksite, operating continuously for at least 1000 years. The site is now shutting down due to lack of workable ore.
- 1999 - Ericsson forms an alliance with Microsoft to provide mobile Internet services. Ericsson stock rises to a record SEK 549. Total value rises by 100 billion (a one-day record) to SEK 1,165 billion, the first Swedish company to pass 1000 billion. Ericsson rises from 12th to 7th place among Europe's biggest companies. The Stockholm stock exchange rises 5%, a record for a single day.
- 1965 - The Board of Judges begins meetings again to begin the selection process of designs for 1967 coins from entries submitted by five artists.
- 1837 - The Charlotte Branch Mint officially opens for receipt and assay of bullion.
- 1848 - First gold from the American River in California is delivered to the Philadelphia Mint.
- 1848 - US Secretary of War Maroy sends a message to Mint Director Robert Patterson asking for creation of $2.50 coins from California gold with a distinguishing mark.
- 1911 - The Denver Mint begins striking 1911-dated half dollars.
- 2011 - The U.S. Mint unveils final designs for reverses of the 2012 America the Beautiful quarter dollars. The designs represent the El Yunque National Forest in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, Acadia National Park in Maine, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
- 1914 - Connie Mack sells Eddie Collins to the Chicago White Sox.
- 1940 - First NFL championship on national radio; Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins 73-0.
- 1942 - 8th Heisman Trophy Award: Frank Sinkwich, Georgia (Half Back).
- 1948 - 14th Heisman Trophy Award: Doak Walker, SMU (Half Back).
- 1951 - American League alters its restrictions on night games, adopting National League's suspended game rule and lifting its ban on lights for Sunday games.
- 1953 - 19th Heisman Trophy Award: John Lattner, Notre Dame (Half Back).
- 1955 - 21st Heisman Trophy Award: Howard Cassady, Ohio State (Half Back).
- 1955 - Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella wins his third Most Valuable Player Award.
- 1956 - Games of the XVI Olympiad close in Melbourne, Australia.
- 1960 - Expansion Los Angeles Angels sign a four-year lease to use Dodger Stadium.
- 1961 - Larry Costello scores 32 consecutive points without a miss (NBA record).
- 1961 - South Africa versus New Zealand, Durban debuts for Eddie Barlow and Peter Pollock.
- 1961 - Wilt Chamberlain scores the second highest total in the NBA - 78.
- 1963 - Mickey Wright/Dave Ragan Junior win LPGA Haig and Haig Scotch Mixed Golf.
- 1966 - A terrible New York Yankees trade: Roger Maris for Saint Louis Cardinals' Charlie Smith.
- 1967 - NHL's California Seals change name to Oakland Seals.
- 1973 - 39th Heisman Trophy Award: John Cappelletti, Pennsylvania State (Running Back).
- 1974 - Sandra Post wins LPGA Colgate Far East Golf Open.
- 1977 - 43rd Heisman Trophy Award: Earl Campbell, Texas (Running Back).
- 1978 - Commencement of the first day/night WSC cricket supertest at VFL Park.
- 1982 - Clark Gilles fails in 7th New York Islanders' penalty shot.
- 1984 - 73rd Australian Men's Tennis: Mats Wilander beats K Curren (6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2).
- 1985 - 60th Australian Women's Tennis: M Navratilova beats C Evert (6-2, 4-6, 6-2).
- 1985 - Ken O'Brien's 96-yard touchdown pass (New York Jets record) to Wesley Walker.
- 1985 - Laurie Rinker/Larry Rinker win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic.
- 1987 - Philadelphia Flyers' Ron Hextall becomes first goalie to actually score a goal.
- 1988 - New York Knicks set NBA record of eleven 3-pointers and sink Milwaukee Bucks, 113-109.
- 1990 - Cleveland Indians agree to a lease new ballpark in Gateway (Jacobs Field).
- 1991 - Kris Tschetter/Billy Andrade win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic.
- 1992 - Barry Bonds signs the richest contract in major league history: US$43-million over the next six years with the San Francisco Giants.
- 1996 - Donna Andrews and Mike Hulbert win LPGA J C Penney Golf Classic.
- 2008 - Greg Maddux announces his retirement from Major League Baseball after 23 seasons and 355 wins. Maddux pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and claimed four successive Cy Young Awards from 1992 as best pitcher in the National League.
- 2021 - At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, NHL regular season game: Vegas Golden Knights beats Dallas Stars by score 5-4.
- 2021 - At Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, NHL regular season game: Vancouver Canucks beats Boston Bruins by score 2-1.
- 2021 - At Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: Colorado Avalanche beats New York Rangers by score 7-3.
- 2021 - At Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA, NHL regular season game: New Jersey Devils beats Philadelphia Flyers by score 3-0.
- 1956 - First test firing of the Vanguard satellite program, TV-0.
- 1966 - US and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space.
- 1974 - Soyuz 16 returns to Earth.
- 1983 - 9th Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 6 - lands at Edwards Air Force Base.
- 1990 - Galileo Earth-1 Flyby.
- 1992 - Galileo's nearest approach to Jupiter (303 km).
- 1963 - Three fuel tanks explode when jetliner is struck by lightning, crashing near Elkton Maryland; only case of lightning-caused crash, 81 die.
- 1969 - Greek DC-6B crashes in storm at Athens, Greece; 93 killed.
- 1993 - Storm hits West Europe, 11 killed in England.
- 2005 - Hurricane Epsilon dies in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It becomes the longest-lived December hurricane on record and ties for second-place strongest December hurricane.
- 1776 - George Washington's retreating army crosses Delaware River from New Jersey.
- 1792 - First cremation in US, Henry Laurens.
- 1812 - In Southern California, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurs, destroying the San Juan Capistrano Church and damaging several mission buildings. Forty people attending church services are killed.
- 1837 - The Charlotte Branch Mint officially opens for receipt and assay of bullion.
- 1863 - US President Abraham Lincoln announces plan for Reconstruction of South.
- 1874 - Jesse James gang takes a train at Muncie, Kansas.
- 1886 - American Federation of Labor (AFL) is formed by 26 craft unions; Samuel Gompers is elected first president.
- 1902 - Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior became Associate Justice on US Supreme Court.
- 1936 - NAACP files suit to equalize the salaries of black and white teachers.
- 1941 - American President Franklin Roosevelt makes a speech in Congress, declaring December 7 "a date which will live in infamy". Congress declares war on Japan.
- 1941 - Japanese bombers and fighters attack Luzon in the Philippine Islands. They destroy many Curtiss P-40 fighters, B-17 bombers, and one of two operational radar stations.
- 1946 - Army rocket plane XS-1 makes first powered flight.
- 1949 - Jule Styne's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes premieres at Ziegfeld Theater in New York City for 740 performances.
- 1956 - First test firing of the Vanguard satellite program, TV-0.
- 1958 - Robert Henry Winborne Welch Junior begins the John Birch Society, named after US military intelligence officer John Morrison Birch, killed in North China in 1945 on spying mission. The Society is created in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, with a group of 11 conservative industrialists.
- 1962 - 114-day newspaper strike begins in New York City, New York, USA.
- 1963 - Three fuel tanks explode when jetliner is struck by lightning, crashing near Elkton Maryland; only case of lightning-caused crash, 81 die.
- 1966 - US and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space.
- 1972 - United Airlines airplane crashes at Chicago's Midway Airport killing 45.
- 1976 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1980 - Death of John Lennon at age 40, shot dead outside his New York City home by Mark David Chapman; singer/songwriter/guitarist ("(Just Like) Starting Over", The Beatles, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1988), Lifetime Achievement Grammy (1991)).
- 1981 - The No. 21 Mine explosion in Whitwell, Tennessee kills 13.
- 1982 - Demanding an end to nuclear weapons, Norman Mayer holds the Washington Monument hostage; after ten hours, police kill him; he had no explosives.
- 1983 - 9th Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 6 - lands at Edwards Air Force Base.
- 1983 - Richard Baker, Zen teacher, steps down from abbotship of San Francisco Zen Center.
- 1986 - US House Democrats select majority leader Jim Wright as 48th speaker.
- 1987 - US President President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty eliminating medium range nuclear missiles.
- 1999 - Circuit Court of Tennessee, Division 4, King Family vs. Jowers and Other Unknown Co-Conspirators: jury verdict that a conspiracy involving agencies of the US government was responsible for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.
- 2005 - Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 overshoots the runway at Chicago Midway Airport, killing a 6-year-old boy and injuring 11 other people.
- 2008 - In the USA, the Tribune Company files for bankruptcy.
Other history:
- 1881 - Vienna's Ring Theater destroyed by fire, kills between 640-850.
- 1949 - Chinese Nationalist government moves from Chinese mainland to Formosa.
- 1966 - US and USSR sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space.
- 1987 - President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev sign a treaty eliminating medium range nuclear missiles.
- 1991 - Russia, Byelorussia, and Ukraine form Commonwealth of Independent States.
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