Today in History for 22nd December 2025

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1894 - Claude Debussy's first orchestral masterpiece "Prélude à l'apres-midi d'un faune" premieres in Paris
1964 - Ballon d'Or: Manchester United striker Denis Law wins award for best European football player; beats Inter midfielder Luis Suárez and Real Madrid winger Amancio Amaro; first Scotsman to win the award
1978 - Thailand adopts constitution
1997 - Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces
2003 - A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits near San Simeon, California.

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Famous Birthdays

1883 - Edgard Varèse, French-American composer (Ionisation; Poème électronique), born in Burgundy, France (d. 1965)
1889 - Minor Watson, American actor (Woman of the Year, Viva Cisco Kid), born in Marianna, Arkansas (d. 1965)
1912 - Claudia A. "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson, American first lady (1963-1969), born in Karnack, Texas (d. 2007)
1946 - Mary McCaslin, American contemporary folk singer-songwriter, guitarist, and banjo player ("Prairie In The Sky"), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2022)
1954 - Jayaseelan Naidoo, South African worker's union leader, born in Durban, South Africa

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Famous Deaths

1603 - Mehmed III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1595-1603), dies at 37
1767 - John Newberry, English publisher, dies
1809 - William Cooper, American judge and developer (founded Cooperstown, New York), dies at 55
1987 - Alice Terry [Taaffe], actress (4 Horsemen of Apocalypse), dies
2016 - Bill Price, British audio engineer (Tom Jones; Wings: Sparks; Elton John), and record producer (The Clash; Sex Pistols; Waterboys), dies of cancer at 72

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