December 30
December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; one day remains until the end of the year.
Events
- 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield
- 1816 - The Treaty of St. Louis is proclaimed.
- 1853 - Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest.
- 1853 - A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an Iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London.
- 1862 - USS Monitor sinks off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
- 1879 - The Pirates of Penzance is first performed (Paignton, Devon, England).
- 1880 - The Transvaal becomes a republic and Paul Kruger, its first president.
- 1896 - José Rizal was executed by firing squad in Manila.
- 1897 - Natal annexes Zululand.
- 1903 - A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills 600.
- 1905 - Former Governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated near his home in Caldwell, Idaho.
- 1906 - The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, which later laid down the foundations of Pakistan.
- 1919 - Lincoln's Inn in London admits its first female bar student.
- 1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed.
- 1924 - Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galaxies.
- 1927 - The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo.
- 1936 - The United Auto Workers union stages its first sit-down strike.
- 1940 - California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
- 1943 - Subhash Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair.
- 1944 - King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving his throne vacant.
- 1947 - King Michael of Romania forced to abdicate by the Soviet-backed Communist government of Romania.
- 1953 - Television Technology: The first ever NTSC color television sets go on sale for about USD at $1,175 each from RCA.
- 1965 - Ferdinand Marcos becomes President of the Philippines.
- 1972 - Vietnam War: The US halts heavy bombing of North Vietnam.
- 1977 - Ted Bundy escapes from his cell in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
- 1981 - Wayne Gretzky scores his 50th goal in 39 games, still a National Hockey League record.
- 1993 - Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations.
- 1995 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. This equalled the record set at Braemar, Aberdeenshire on February 11, 1895 and January 10, 1982.
- 1996 - In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26.
- 1996 - Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel.
- 1997 - In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people are killed from four villages.
- 2000 - Rizal Day Bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a span of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.
- 2003 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft recuses himself and his office from the Plame affair.
- 2004 - A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina kills 194.
- 2005 - Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin.
- 2006 - Madrid Barajas International Airport is bombed.
- 2006 - Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging.
Births
- 39 - Roman Emperor Titus (d. 81)
- 1204 - Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd Hakam al Qurashi, ruler of Minorca (d. 1282)
- 1552 - Simon Forman, English occultist and astrologer (d. 1611)
- 1642 - Vicenzo da Filicaja, Italian poet (d. 1707)
- 1673 - Ahmed III, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1736)
- 1678 - William Croft, English composer (d. 1727)
- 1722 - Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (d. 1770)
- 1724 - Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée, French painter (d. 1805)
- 1740 - Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales (d. 1759)
- 1785 - Dorothea Lieven, Russian noblewoman (d. 1857)
- 1819 - Theodor Fontane, German writer (d. 1898)
- 1838 - Émile Loubet, 7th President of France (d.1929)
- 1851 - Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman and politician (d. 1929)
- 1853 - André Messager, French composer (d. 1929)
- 1865 - Rudyard Kipling, British writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1936)
- 1869 - Stephen Butler Leacock, British-born, Canadian writer and economist (d. 1944)
- 1873 - Al Smith, American politician (d. 1944)
- 1878 - William Aberhart, Canadian politician (d. 1943)
- 1879 - Sri Ramana Maharshi, Indian philosopher (d. 1950)
- 1883 - Lester Patrick, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1960)
- 1884 - Hideki Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1948)
- 1890 - Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, President of Mexico (d. 1973)
- 1897 - Alfredo Bracchi, Italian author (d. 1976)
- 1899 - Helge Ingstad, Norwegian explorer (d. 2001)
- 1904 - Dmitri Kabalevsky, Russian composer (d. 1987)
- 1906 - Carol Reed, English film director (d. 1976)
- 1910 - Paul Bowles, American composer and author (d. 1999)
- 1911 - Jeanette Nolan, American actress (d. 1998)
- 1913 - Elyne Mitchell, Australian author (d. 2002)
- 1913 - Lucio Agostini, Italian-born Canadian conductor and composer (d. 1996)
- 1914 - Bert Parks, American television host (d. 1992)
- 1914 - Jo Van Fleet, American actress (d. 1996)
- 1917 - Seymour Melman, American industrial engineer (d. 2004)
- 1920 - Jack Lord, American actor (d. 1998)
- 1921 - Rashid Karami, Lebanese statesman (d. 1987)
- 1927 - Bernard Barrow, American actor (d. 1993)
- 1928 - Bo Diddley, American singer and musician
- 1929 - Barbara Nichols, American actress (d. 1976)
- 1931 - Skeeter Davis, American singer (d. 2004)
- 1934 - John Norris Bahcall, American physicist (d. 2005)
- 1934 - Joseph Bologna, American actor
- 1934 - Joseph P. Hoar, American general
- 1934 - Del Shannon, American singer (d. 1990)
- 1934 - Russ Tamblyn, American actor, dancer, and singer
- 1935 - Omar Bongo, President of Gabon
- 1935 - Sandy Koufax, American baseball player
- 1935 - Jack Riley, American actor
- 1937 - Gordon Banks, English footballer and World Cup winner
- 1937 - John Hartford, American musician (d. 2001)
- 1937 - Jim Marshall, American football player
- 1937 - Noel Paul Stookey, American folk singer (Peter, Paul & Mary)
- 1940 - James Burrows, American television director
- 1941 - Mel Renfro, American football player
- 1942 - Vladimir Bukovsky, Russian author and dissident
- 1942 - Michael Nesmith, American singer and musician (The Monkees)
- 1942 - Janko Prunk, Slovenian historian
- 1942 - Fred Ward, American actor
- 1942 - Guy Edwards, British racing driver
- 1945 - Davy Jones, English singer (The Monkees)
- 1945 - Concetta Tomei, American actress
- 1945 - Vernon Wells, Australian actor
- 1946 - Patti Smith, American singer
- 1947 - Michael Burns, American historian
- 1947 - Jeff Lynne, English musician (ELO)
- 1949 - Jim Flaherty, Canadian politician
- 1950 - Lewis Shiner, American sci-fi/fantasy author
- 1951 - Doug Allder, English footballer
- 1952 - June Anderson, American soprano
- 1953 - Bill Kazmaier, American powerlifter
- 1953 - Harald Schmautz, German-born journalist
- 1953 - Meredith Vieira, American television journalist
- 1955 - Dindo Yogo, Congolese musician (d. 2000)
- 1956 - Suzy Bogguss, American singer
- 1956 - Sheryl Lee Ralph, American actress
- 1957 - Matt Lauer, American newscaster
- 1958 - Rod Harrington, English darts player
- 1958 - Steven L. Smith, American astronaut
- 1959 - Tracey Ullman, English actress and singer
- 1961 - Douglas Coupland, Canadian author
- 1961 - Sean Hannity, American talk radio host
- 1961 - Ben Johnson, Canadian athlete
- 1962 - Henry Cho, Korean-American comedian
- 1963 - Chandler Burr, American author
- 1963 - Michelle Douglas, Canadian human rights activist
- 1963 - Milan Šrejber, Czech tennis player
- 1964 - Sylvie Moreau, Quebec television and film actress
- 1964 - Duglas T. Stewart, Scottish musician (BMX Bandits)
- 1965 - Heidi Fleiss, American madam
- 1967 - Carl Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler
- 1969 - Dave England, American television personality
- 1969 - Jay Kay, English musician (Jamiroquai)
- 1971 - Daniel Sunjata, American actor
- 1971 - Rahul Dravid, Indian cricket captain
- 1972 - Kerry Collins, American football player
- 1972 - Paul Keegan, Irish footballer
- 1972 - Steven Wiig, American actor and musician
- 1973 - Jason Behr, American actor
- 1973 - Ato Boldon, Trinidadian athlete
- 1973 - Nacho Vidal, Spanish porn star
- 1974 - Johanna Sällström, Swedish actress (d. 2007)
- 1975 - Scott Chipperfield, Australian soccer player
- 1975 - Tiger Woods, American golfer
- 1976 - Meredith Monroe, American actress
- 1976 - Alex A. Quinn, American actor
- 1976 - A.J. Pierzynski, American baseball player
- 1977 - Kenyon Martin, American basketball player
- 1977 - Scott Lucas, Australian rules footballer
- 1977 - Laila Ali, American boxer
- 1977 - Grant Balfour, Australian baseball player
- 1978 - Tyrese, American singer and actor
- 1978 - Zbigniew Robert Promiński, Polish drummer
- 1979 - Flávio Amado, Angolan footballer
- 1980 - Eliza Dushku, American actress
- 1980 - Kenny Kwan, Hong Kong singer
- 1981 - Ali Al Habsi, Omani footballer
- 1981 - Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer
- 1981 - Haley Paige, American pornstar
- 1982 - Kristin Kreuk, Canadian actress
- 1982 - Dathan Ritzenhein, American runner
- 1984 - LeBron James, American basketball player
- 1984 - Randall Azofeifa, Costa Rican footballer
- 1985 - Lars Boom, Dutch cyclist
- 1989 - Ryan Sheckler, American professional skateboarder.
Deaths
- 1218 - Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford, English politician (b. 1162)
- 1460 - Richard, Duke of York, claimant to the English throne (killed in battle) (b. 1411)
- 1525 - Jacob Fugger, German banker (b. 1459)
- 1572 - Galeazzo Alessi, Italian architect (b. 1512)
- 1573 - Giovanni Battista Giraldi, Italian writer (b. 1504)
- 1591 - Pope Innocent IX (b. 1519)
- 1621 - Saint Job of Maniava, Ukrainian Orthodox Saint (b. 1550)
- 1640 - John Francis Regis, French saint (b. 1597)
- 1644 - Jan Baptist van Helmont, Flemish chemist (b. 1577)
- 1662 - Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria (b. 1628)
- 1691 - Robert Boyle, Irish scientist (b. 1627)
- 1769 - Nicholas Taaffe, 6th Viscount Taaffe, Austrian soldier (b. 1685)
- 1803 - Francis Lewis, signer of the American Declaration of Independence (b. 1713)
- 1896 - José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines (b. 1861) (executed)
- 1908 - Thomas-Alfred Bernier, Canadian lawyer, journalist and senator (b. 1844)
- 1941 - El Lissitzky, Russian artist and architect (b. 1890)
- 1944 - Romain Rolland, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866)
- 1954 - Archduke Eugen of Austria, Austrian field marshal (b. 1863)
- 1955 - Rex Ingamells, Australian poet (b. 1913)
- 1967 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1887)
- 1968 - Trygve Lie, Norwegian politician, first United Nations Secretary General (b. 1896)
- 1970 - Sonny Liston, American boxer (b. 1932)
- 1971 - Melba Rae, American actress (Search for Tomorrow) (b. 1922)
- 1979 - Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902)
- 1981 - Alfie Anido, Filipino actor (b. 1959)
- 1984 - Massa (gorilla), oldest gorilla on record (b. 1930)
- 1986 - Era Bell Thompson, American journalist (b. 1905)
- 1988 - Yuli Daniel, Russian writer (b. 1925)
- 1989 - Lenore Lemmon, wife of George Reeves (b. 1923)
- 1992 - Ling-Ling, panda given to the USA by China (b. 1969)
- 1993 - Mack David, American lyricist and songwriter (b. 1912)
- 1993 - Irving "Swifty" Lazar, American Hollywood talent agent (b. 1907)
- 1993 - Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist (b. 1907)
- 1994 - Dmitri Ivanenko, Russian physicist (b. 1904)
- 1994 - Maureen Starkey, wife of Ringo Starr (b. 1946)
- 1995 - Doris Grau, American actress (b. 1924)
- 1996 - Lew Ayres, American actor (b. 1908)
- 1996 - Jack Nance, American actor (b. 1943)
- 1997 - Shinichi Hoshi, Japanese novelist (b. 1926)
- 1998 - George Webb, English actor (b. 1911)
- 1998 - Johnny Moore, American singer (The Drifters) (b. 1934)
- 1999 - Fritz Leonhardt, German structural engineer (b. 1909)
- 1999 - Sarah Knauss, American, once considered the world's oldest living person (b. 1880)
- 2000 - Julius J. Epstein, American screenwriter (b. 1909)
- 2002 - Mary Brian, American actress (b. 1906)
- 2002 - Mary Wesley, English novelist (b. 1912)
- 2003 - David Bale, South African-born activist (cancer) (b. 1941)
- 2003 - John Gregory Dunne, American writer (b. 1932)
- 2003 - Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer and actress (b. 1963)
- 2004 - Artie Shaw, American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader (b. 1910)
- 2005 - Rona Jaffe, American author (b. 1932)
- 2006 - Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President (b. 1937) (executed)
- 2006 - Terry Peck, Falkland Islander (b. 1938) who acted as a scout for 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in the Falklands War
Holidays and observances
- The fifth day of Christmas in Western Christianity.
- R.C. Saints - Pope Felix I (optional memorial), Saint Sabinus
- Philippines - Rizal Day
- Freedom Day for Scientologists.