What Happened in December 1961

Publish date: 2024-09-26

December1961 Calendar

Historical Events

Leading Cuba to Communism

Dec 2 Fidel Castro declares he's a Marxist & will lead Cuba to Communism

Dec 2 Wind Bell, journal of San Francisco Zen Center, begins publishing
Dec 3 Dutchman Anton Geesink becomes 1st non-Japanese judo world champion

Dec 3 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Ernie Davis

Dec 4 1962 NFL Draft: Ernie Davis, University of Syracuse RB #1 pick by Washington Redskins

MOMA's Upside Down Matisse

Dec 4 NY's Museum of Modern Art hangs Henri Matisse's picture "Le Bateau" the right side up, after stock-broker Genevieve Habert notices it is displayed upside down, the first of 116,000 people in 47 days to notice [1]

Dec 4 Smallest NY Knick, 49th St Madison Square Garden crowd-1,300 (snowstorm)
Dec 4 Tanganyika becomes 104th member of UN

Contraceptive Pill

Dec 4 The female contraceptive 'pill' becomes available on the National Health Service in Britain

Dec 4 WXGA TV channel 8 in Waycross, GA (PBS) begins broadcasting
Dec 6 27th Heisman Trophy Award: Ernie Davis, Syracuse RB; 1st African American to win)
Dec 8 Antwerp Belgium diocese forms
Dec 8 Construction workers top off the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, less 8 months after work began
Dec 8 Larry Costello scores 32 consecutive pts without a miss (NBA rec)

Chamberlain's 78 Points

Dec 8 Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores 78 points in 151-147 3OT defeat to LA Lakers at Philadelphia Civic Center; 2nd highest game total in the NBA history

Dec 8 South Africa v NZ, Durban debuts for Eddie Barlow & Peter Pollock
Dec 9 "From the Second City" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 87 performances
Dec 9 "Let It Ride" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 68 performances
Dec 9 Tanganyika gains independence from Britain, takes name Tanzania - with Ukuru (Freedom) Torch lit on the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro

Cannon Rush/Receiving Record

Dec 10 Houston Oilers utility back Billy Cannon gains AFL record 373 yards combined rushing/receiving in 48-21 win over NY Titans at the Polo Grounds, NYC

Physics Nobel to Hofstadter, Mössbauer

Dec 10 Robert Hofstadter and Rudolf Ludwig Mössbauer win the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering studies of electron scattering in atomic nuclei and discoveries concerning the structure of the nucleon

Dec 10 US performs nuclear test at Carlsbad New Mexico (underground)
Dec 10 USSR & Albania break diplomatic relations

Dec 11 Motown Records releases "Please, Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes; it is the group and the label's 1st #1 pop song, topping the charts for 13 weeks
Dec 12 Amateur radio satellite Oscar 1 launched with military Discoverer 36

Omar Sívori Wins

Dec 12 Ballon d'Or: Juventus' Argentine forward Omar Sívori wins award for best football player in Europe ahead of Spanish midfielder Luis Suárez and English forward Johnny Haynes

The Young Ones

Dec 13 "The Young Ones" directed by Sidney J. Furie, starring Cliff Richard, Robert Morley and Carole Gray premieres in London

Death Penalty Demand for Eichmann

Dec 13 Gideon Hausner in Jerusalem demands death penalty for Adolf Eichmann

Beatles Sign with Epstein

Dec 13 The Beatles sign a formal agreement to be managed by Brian Epstein

Dec 14 Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" is 1st country song to get a gold record
Dec 15 Court in Israel sentences Nazi party official Adolf Eichmann to death for war crimes for his participation in organizing the Holocaust
Dec 15 Equal access rule, US political parties get TV broadcasting time
Dec 15 L. J. Suenens appointed archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium

Dec 15 US President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy visit Puerto Rico - last official sitting presidential visit until Barack Obama in 2011
Dec 16 "Evening with Yves Montand" closes at John Golden Theatre, NYC after 55 performances
Dec 17 India seizes Goa & 2 other Portuguese colonies
Dec 17 Niteroi Circus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil catches fire; 323 die after disgruntled employee sets fire to the tent

Sports History

Dec 18 For second consecutive year, AP names Wilma Rudolph female athlete of year

Dec 18 India annexes Portuguese colonies of Goa, Damao & Diu
Dec 18 KAIL TV channel 53 in Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting

Operation Trikora

Dec 19 Indonesian President Sukarno proclaims general mobilization for Operation Trikora in preparation for attempting to seize Netherlands New Guinea

Joe Gallo Sentenced

Dec 21 Gangster Joe Gallo is sentenced to 7 to 14 years in state prison for extortion

Dec 22 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
Dec 23 Fidel Castro announces Cuba will release 1,113 prisoners from failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion for $62M worth of food & medical supplies
Dec 23 KICU TV channel 43 in Visalia-Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting
Dec 23 Train accident in Italy, 70 die
Dec 24 AFL Championship, Balboa Stadium, San Diego: Houston Oilers beat San Diego Chargers 10-3; Billy Cannon scores game's only TD
Dec 27 Belgium & Congo resume diplomatic relations

"Subways Are For Sleeping"

Dec 27 Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's musical "Subways Are For Sleeping" premieres at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 205 performances

Dec 28 50th Davis Cup: Australia beats Italy in Melbourne (5-0)

Dec 31 Failed coup by Syrian group in Lebanon
Dec 31 Marguerite Monnot and Alexandre Breffort's musical "lrma La Douce" closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 527 performances
Dec 31 Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than $12 billion

Packers Defeat Giants

Dec 31 National Football League Championship, City Stadium, Green Bay: Green Bay Packers shutout NY Giants 37-0; first of 5 NFL titles won in 7-season span by Packers and head coach, Vince Lombardi

Dec 31 The Beach Boys play their debut gig under that name

Famous Birthdays

Dec 1 Armin Meiwes, German murder known as "the Rotenburg Cannibal", born in Essen, West Germany
Dec 1 Barb Mucha, American golfer (5 LPGA titles), born in Parma Heights, Ohio
Dec 1 Jeremy Northam, English actor (Emma, The Crown), born in Cambridge, England
Dec 1 Safra Catz, American billionaire technology executive (CEO Oracle), born in Holon, Israel
Dec 3 Adal Ramones, Mexican comedian and television host, born in Monterrey, Mexico
Dec 4 Frank Reich, American NFL quarterback (Buffalo Bills) and coach (Indianapolis Colts 2018-20), born in Freeport, New York
Dec 4 Kevin Hern, American politician (Rep-R-Oklahoma 2018-), born in Belton, Missouri
Dec 6 David Lovering, American drummer (Pixies), born in Burlington, Massachusetts
Dec 8 Ann Coulter, American author, political commentator, and attorney
Dec 8 Mikey Robins, Australian comedian
Dec 9 David Anthony Higgins, American actor (Malcolm in the Middle), born in Des Moines, Iowa
Dec 9 Joe Lando, American actor (Byron Sully-Dr Quinn), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 10 Mark McKoy, Canadian track star (world record 50m indoor, Olympic gold 1992), born in Georgetown, British Guiana
Dec 10 Nia Peeples, American dancer and host (Fame; Party Machine), born in Hollywood, California
Dec 11 Darryl Jones, American bass player (Sting; Rolling Stones, 1993-present), born in Chicago, Illinois
Dec 11 Macky Sall, Senegalese politician (President of Senegal 2012-), born in Fatick, Senegal

Dec 11 Marco Pierre White, English chef and restaurateur (youngest chef ever to have been awarded three Michelin stars), born in Leeds, England
Dec 11 Mike Henneman, American baseball pitcher (Texas Rangers), born in Saint Charles, Missouri
Dec 12 Dale Sanderson, Canadian CFL guard (Hamilton Tiger Cats), born in Hamilton, Ontario
Dec 12 Daniel O'Donnell, Irish singer and television presenter, born in Donegal, Ireland
Dec 12 Julie Giroux, American classical composer (My Soul to Keep; Bookmarks from Japan), born in Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Dec 13 Gary Zimmerman, American NFL tackle (Denver Broncos - Super Bowl XXXII), born in Fullerton, California
Dec 13 Harry Gregson-Williams, English composer, born in Chichester, England
Dec 13 Irene Sáez, Venezuelan beauty queen crowned Miss Universe 1981 and politician, born in Chacao, Miranda, Venezuela
Dec 14 Jeff Robinson, American baseball pitcher, 1987-92 (Detroit Tigers; Baltimore Orioles; and 2 other teams), born in Ventura, California, (d. 2014)
Dec 15 Annie Pujol, French TV hostess (Roue de la Fortune), born in Perpignan, France
Dec 15 Karin Resetarits, Austrian journalist, TV and radio host, and politician (European Parliament, 2004-09), born in Vienna, Austria
Dec 15 Reginald Hudlin, American director (House Party), born in Centreville, Illinois
Dec 16 Bill Hicks, American stand-up comedian and social critic, born in Valdosta, Georgia (d. 1994)
Dec 16 LaChanze [Rhonda LaChanze Sapp], American Broadway actress (The Color Purple), born in St. Augustine, Florida
Dec 17 Sara Dallin, British musician (Bananarama), born in Bristol, England

Dec 18 Brian Orser, Canadian figure skater (Olympic silver 1988)
Dec 18 Ken Foreman, English rock singer and guitarist (Thrashing Doves - "Reprobate's Hymn"), and record producer, born in London, England
Dec 18 Lalchand Rajput, Indian cricketer and coach (Indian Test opening batsman 1985-86), born in Bombay, India
Dec 18 Thomas Strittmatter, writer
Dec 19 Abigail Johnson, American billionaire businesswoman (CEO Fidelity Investments), born in Boston, Massachusetts

Reggie White (1961-2004)

Dec 19 American College-Pro Football HOF defensive end (Super Bowl XXXI Green Bay Packers; 8 × First-team All-Pro; 13 x Pro Bowl; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1987, 98), born in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dec 20 Gale Gilbert, NFL quarterback (San Diego Chargers), born in Red Bluff, California
Dec 20 Mohammad Fouad, Arab singer and actor, born in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt
Dec 20 Nate Newton, NFL guard (Dallas Cowboys), born in Orlando, Florida
Dec 21 Francis Ng, Hong Kong actor (Internal Affairs), born in British Hong Kong
Dec 21 Ryuji Sasai, Japanese video game composer, born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Dec 21 Trevor Bayliss, Australian cricketer (NSW batsman) and coach (England), born in Goulburn, Australia
Dec 22 Andrew Fastow, US convicted criminal and businessman (former CFO of Enron), born in Washington, D.C., United States
Dec 22 Yuri Ivanovich Malinchenko, Russian cosmonaut (1st person to marry in space), born in Khrushchev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Dec 23 Carol Smillie, British television personality, born in Glasgow, United Kingdom
Dec 24 Darren Wharton, British musician (Dare; Thin Lizzy), born in Failsworth, DEngland
Dec 24 Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan Republic, born in Baku, Azerbaijan
Dec 24 Jay Wright, American basketball coach, born in Churchville, Pennsylvania
Dec 24 Mary Barra, American CEO of General Motors (1st woman to head a global automotive company), born in Waterford, Michigan
Dec 25 Ghislaine Maxwell, British socialite and convicted sex offender, born in Maisons-Laffitte, France
Dec 25 Ingrid Betancourt, Colombian senator
Dec 26 John Lynch, Irish actor, born in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Dec 26 Tahnee Welch [La Tahn Renee Welch], American actress (Cocoon), born in San Diego, California
Dec 28 Kent Nielsen, Danish soccer defender (54 caps; Brønshøj 230 games, Brøndby, Aston Villa, AGF) and coach (Horsens, Brøndby, AaB, OB, Silkeborg), born in Frederiksberg, Denmark
Dec 29 Iliya Valov, Bulgarian soccer goalkeeper (30 caps; Botev Vratsa 180 games, Karşıyaka SK), born in Knezha, Bulgaria (d. 2024)
Dec 29 Jim Reid, Scottish rock singer-songwriter (The Jesus and Mary Chain; Freeheat), born in East Kilbride, Scotland
Dec 29 Robert Tewdwr Moss, British journalist, born in Congleton, United Kingdom (d. 1996)
Dec 30 Ben Johnson, Canadian athlete (Olympic 100m gold 1988-disqualified), born in Falmouth, Jamaica
Dec 30 Bill English, New Zealand politician and Prime Minister (National: 2016-17), born in Lumsden, New Zealand
Dec 30 Douglas Coupland, Canadian author
Dec 31 Joanna Johnson, American actress (Caroline-Bold & Beautiful), born in Phoenix, Arizona
Dec 31 Rick Aguilera, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1991, 92, 93; World Series 1986 NY Mets, 1991 Minnesota Twins), born in San Gabriel, California

Famous Weddings

Dec 10 German-American educator Ruth Siegel (33) weds third husband, German-American Fred Westheimer, until his death in 1997

Famous Deaths

Dec 3 Jēkabs Graubiņš, Latvian composer, dies at 75
Dec 3 Mary Charleson, Irish-American silent film actress (Upstairs And Down), dies at 71
Dec 3 Pat O'Hara Wood, Australian tennis player (Australasian C'ship 1920, 23), dies at 70
Dec 6 Frantz Fanon, West Indian psychiatrist and philosopher (The Wretched of the Earth), dies of leukemia at 36
Dec 8 William Beatton Moonie, Scottish composer (The Weird of Colbar; Echoes of Perthshire), dies at 71
Dec 12 Daiun Sogaku Harada, Zen founder of Sanbo Kyodan lineage, dies at 91

Dec 15 William "Dummy" Hoy, American baseball outfielder (most accomplished deaf player in MLB history; NL stolen base leader 1888; Washington Senators, Cincinnati Reds), dies at 99
Dec 16 Boris Semyonovich Shekhter, Russian composer and teacher, dies at 61
Dec 16 Cato Engelen-Sewing, Dutch soprano singer, prima donna, dies at 93
Dec 17 Marion Perkins, sculptor (Man of Sorrow), dies at 53
Dec 20 Earle Page, Australian politician, 11th Prime Minister of Australia (1939), dies at 81
Dec 20 Luis Abraham Delgadillo, Nicaraguan composer, conductor, and educator, dies at 75

Dec 23 Kurt Meyer, German SS officer (b. 1910)
Dec 24 Guy de Lioncourt, French composer, dies at 76
Dec 25 Otto Loewi, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1873)
Dec 25 Owen Brewster, U.S. Senator from Maine (b. 1888)
Dec 25 Rheinhold Rudenberg, inventor of electron microscope, dies
Dec 26 Charlie Frank, cricketer (S Af Test centurion v Aust 1921-22), dies
Dec 28 Edith Wilson, American 1st lady (1915-21) second wife of Woodrow Wilson, dies at 89
Dec 30 Jacobus "Ko" van den Bosch, Dutch actor (Amsterdamned)/dir, dies at 53

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