On This Day: December 14

Updated December 13, 2011, 1:29 pm

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On Dec. 14, 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, seized from Syria in 1967.

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On Dec. 14, 1919, Shirley Jackson, the American writer best known for her story “The Lottery”, was born. Following her death on Aug. 8, 1965, her obituary appeared in The Times.

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On This Date

By The Associated Press

1819 Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.

1861 Prince Albert, husband of Britain’s Queen Victoria, died in London.

1911 Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole.

1946 The United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the U.N. headquarters in New York City.

1979 The album “London Calling” by the Clash was released.

1981 Israel annexed the Golan Heights, seized from Syria in 1967.

1985 Wilma Mankiller became the first woman to lead a major American Indian tribe as she took office as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

1993 A Colorado judge struck down as unconstitutional the state’s voter-approved ban on gay rights laws.

2000 The Federal Trade Commission unanimously approved the $111 billion merger of America Online and Time Warner.

2006 South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon was sworn in as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations.

2008 An Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a news conference in Baghdad; Bush was not hit.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical” movies) turns 23 years old today.

AP Photo/Denis Poroy

Actress KaDee Strickland (“Private Practice”) turns 36 years old today.

AP Photo/Jeff Christensen

1946 Patty Duke, Actress, turns 65

1946 Michael Ovitz, Former Walt Disney Co. president, turns 65

1946 Stan Smith, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 65

1965 Craig Biggio, Baseball player, turns 46

1969 Natascha McElhone, Actress (“Californication”), turns 42

1978 Patty Schnyder, Tennis player, turns 33

Historic Birthdays

Shirley Jackson 12/14/1916 – 8/8/1965 American author. Go to obituary »

62 Nostradamus 12/14/1503 – 7/2/1566
French astrologer and physician

54 Tycho Brahe 12/14/1546 – 10/24/1601
Danish astronomer

63 James Bruce 12/14/1730 – 4/27/1794
Scottish explorer of Ethiopia

77 Pierre du Pont 12/14/1739 – 8/6/1817
French economist

72 Louis Marshall 12/14/1856 – 9/11/1929
American lawyer and activist

67 Roger Fry 12/14/1866 – 9/9/1934
English artist and art critic

96 James Doolittle 12/14/1896 – 9/27/1993
American aviator and World War II army general

55 Lee Remick 12/14/1935 – 7/2/1991
American actress

1819	Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.
1861	Prince Albert, husband of Britain’s Queen Victoria, died in London.
1911	Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole.
1946	The United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the U.N. headquarters in New York City.
1979	The album “London Calling” by the Clash was released.
1981	Israel annexed the Golan Heights, seized from Syria in 1967.
1985	Wilma Mankiller became the first woman to lead a major American Indian tribe as she took office as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
1993	A Colorado judge struck down as unconstitutional the state’s voter-approved ban on gay rights laws.
2000	The Federal Trade Commission unanimously approved the $111 billion merger of America Online and Time Warner.
2006	South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon was sworn in as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations.
2008	An Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a news conference in Baghdad; Bush was not hit.

1946	Patty Duke, Actress, turns 65
1946	Michael Ovitz, Former Walt Disney Co. president, turns 65
1946	Stan Smith, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 65
1965	Craig Biggio, Baseball player, turns 46
1969	Natascha McElhone, Actress (“Californication”), turns 42
1978	Patty Schnyder, Tennis player, turns 33

62	Nostradamus 12/14/1503 – 7/2/1566 French astrologer and physician
54	Tycho Brahe 12/14/1546 – 10/24/1601 Danish astronomer
63	James Bruce 12/14/1730 – 4/27/1794 Scottish explorer of Ethiopia
77	Pierre du Pont 12/14/1739 – 8/6/1817 French economist
72	Louis Marshall 12/14/1856 – 9/11/1929 American lawyer and activist
67	Roger Fry 12/14/1866 – 9/9/1934 English artist and art critic
96	James Doolittle 12/14/1896 – 9/27/1993 American aviator and World War II army general
55	Lee Remick 12/14/1935 – 7/2/1991 American actress