Today is Friday, December 14th, the 348th day of the year. There are 17 days until the end of the year.
On this day:
In 1799, George Washington, the first president of the United States, died at the age of 67.
In 1902, the ship "Silverton" set sail from the Bay Area to lay the first telephone cable between San Francisco and Hawaii.
In 1920, legendary Notre Dame football player George "The Gipper" Gipp died at the age of 25.
In 1934, the first steam-driven locomotive was introduced by the New York Central Railroad. The locomotive was called "Commodore Vanderbilt."
In 1969, The Jackson Five made their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1974, political columnist Walter Lippmann died at the age of 85.
In 1984, Howard Cosell retired from "Monday Night Football."
In 1985, Baseball Hall-of-Famer Roger Maris died at the age of 51.
In 1999, cartoonist Charles M. Schulz announced he was retiring his "Peanuts" comic strip.
In 2003, hours after U.S. officials confirmed the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, President Bush addressed the public, saying Saddam would "face the justice he denied to millions."
In 2006, Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun died, several weeks after suffering a severe brain injury in a fall. He was 83.
In 2008, at a news conference in Baghdad, an Iraqi reporter hurled his shoes at President George W. Bush and called him a "dog."
In 2012, a gunman opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, killing 20 first graders and six adults, before taking his own life.
In 2013, acting legend Peter O'Toole, best known for films such as "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Goodbye Mr. Chips," passed away at the age of 81.
In 2015, Serena Williams was named "Sports Illustrated's" choice for Sportsperson of the Year.
In 2015, The Marine Corps announced that female marines were allowed to wear dreadlock and twist hairstyles. The "Military Times" says the Marine Corps Uniform Board decided that the new hairstyle options may be easier for some female Marines to maintain on expeditions.