Today in history: Dec. 26
In 1996, 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado. (To date, the slaying remains unsolved.)
1908: Jack Johnson
In 1908, Jack Johnson became the first African-American boxer to win the world heavyweight championship as he defeated Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.
1941: Winston Churchill
In 1941, during World War II, Winston Churchill became the first British prime minister to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.
1974: Jack Benny
In 1974, comedian Jack Benny died in Los Angeles at age 80.
1980: Hostages
In 1980, Iranian television footage was broadcast in the United States showing a dozen of the American hostages sending messages to their families.
1994: Marseille
In 1994, French commandos stormed a hijacked Air France jetliner on the ground in Marseille, killing four Algerian hijackers and freeing 170 hostages.
1996: JonBenet Ramsey
In 1996, six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado. (To date, the slaying remains unsolved.)
2003: Earthquake
In 2003, an earthquake struck the historic Iranian city of Bam, killing at least 26,000 people.
2004: Tsunami
In 2004, more than 230,000 people, mostly in southern Asia, were killed by a 100-foot-high tsunami triggered by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean.
2006: Gerald R. Ford
In 2006, former President Gerald R. Ford died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93.
2011: Drew Brees
Ten years ago: Drew Brees set the NFL record for yards passing in a season and the New Orleans Saints clinched the NFC South title with a 45-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. (The passing record would be broken two years later by Denver’s Peyton Manning.)
2012: Toyota
In 2012, Toyota Motor Corp. said it had reached a settlement worth more than $1 billion in a case involving unintended acceleration problems in its vehicles.
2012: Toyota Motor Corp
Ten years ago: Toyota Motor Corp. said it had reached a settlement worth more than $1 billion in a case involving unintended acceleration problems in its vehicles.Â
2017: Erie, Pennsylvania
Five years ago: The snowfall total from a storm that began on Christmas Day reached 53 inches in Erie, Pennsylvania - the biggest-ever two-day total in the state’s history.Â
2017: George Weah
Voters in Liberia went to the polls for a runoff election that saw former soccer star George Weah elected as the African country’s new president.
2020: LeBron James
One year ago: LeBron James was voted Male Athlete of the Year by the AP after winning his fourth NBA title, putting the Lakers on top of the basketball world again and taking a stand for social justice and voting rights.
2020: Phil Niekro
One year ago: Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters, died after a long fight with cancer; he was 81.Â
2021: Desmond Tutu
One year ago: South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu died at 90; the retired archbishop had been an uncompromising foe of apartheid and a modern-day activist for racial justice and LGBT rights.
Tens of billions of dollars’ worth of gift cards wind up forgotten or otherwise unused. Here's more on that, plus today's other top stories, a look at this date in history, celebrity birthdays and more.
