December 19, 1777

Washington leads troops into winter quarters at Valley Forge

1941

Hitler takes command

of the German army

December 20, 1957

Elvis Presley is drafted

1963

Berlin Wall opened for the first time

December 21, 1985

Harry Chapin earns a #1 hit with

“Cat’s In The Cradle”

1970

President Nixon meets Elvis

December 22, 1808

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony given world premiere in Vienna

1900

First Mercedes delivered to its buyer,

Austrian race car driver Emil Jellinek

December 23, 2009

“Balloon Boy” parents

sentenced in Colorado

1888

Van Gogh chops off his ear

1993

Hanks stars in first major Hollywood movie about AIDS

December 24, 1851

Fire ravages Library of Congress

1923

President Coolidge lights first national Christmas tree

1988

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” puts

Poison atop the charts

December 25, 1941

Bing Crosby introduces

“White Christmas” to the world

1776

Washington crosses the Delaware

General Sherman presents President Lincoln with a special Christmas gift

December 22, 1864

On this day in 1864, Union General William T. Sherman presents the city of Savannah, Georgia, to President Abraham Lincoln. Sherman captured the city after his famous March to the Sea from Atlanta. Savannah had been one of the last major ports that remained open to the Confederates.

After Sherman captured Atlanta in September 1864, he did not plan to stay for long. There was still the Confederate army of General John Bell Hood in the area, and cavalry leaders like Nathan Bedford Forrest and Joe Wheeler, who could threaten Sherman’s supply lines. In November, Sherman dispatched part of his force back to Nashville, Tennessee, to deal with Hood while Sherman cut free from his supply lines and headed south and east across Georgia. Along the way, his troops destroyed nearly everything in their path. Sherman’s intent was to wreck the morale of the South and bring the war to a swift end.

For nearly six weeks, nothing was heard from Sherman’s army. Finally, just before Christmas, word arrived that Sherman’s army was outside Savannah. A Union officer reached the coast and found a Union warship that carried him to Washington, D.C., to personally deliver news of the success. Sherman wired Lincoln with the message, “I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.”

Franco Harris makes “Immaculate Reception”

December 23, 1972

On December 23, 1972, in a controversial play that is known as the "Immaculate Reception," rookie running back Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers grabs a deflected pass from quarterback Terry Bradshaw to score a touchdown, winning the game for the Steelers 13-7 over the Oakland Raiders.

The historic play took place during the semifinal playoff game of the American Football Conference (AFC), in Pittsburgh. Ken Stabler of the Raiders scored a touchdown with 73 seconds left in the game, putting Oakland up 7-6. Things looked dark for the Steelers, a struggling franchise that had finished 31 of the previous 39 seasons with a losing record. Bradshaw’s pass, launched from the Steelers’ 40-yard-line, was intended for halfback Frenchy Fuqua. When the Raiders safety Jack Tatum collided with Fuqua at Oakland’s 35-yard-line, the ball bounced backwards in a huge arc for a total of seven yards, where Harris scooped it up before it hit the ground and ran 42 yards into the end zone.

Though one official, Adrian Burk, immediately ruled the play a touchdown, there were no other signals. Tatum swore he didn’t touch the ball and that it had bounced off Fuqua and ricocheted towards Harris; this would have made Harris’ play illegal, according to a rule at the time stating no two receivers can touch the ball consecutively on the same play. From a dugout on the sidelines, referee Fred Swearingen got on the phone with Art McNally, the NFL’s supervisor of officials. McNally had access to the instant replay on television from his seat in the press box, and confirmed Swearingen’s ruling that Tatum had touched the football, making Harris’ play a touchdown. In his post-game comments, Raiders’ coach John Madden indicated that he believed Tatum had made contact with the ball.

The following week, also in Pittsburgh, the Steelers lost the AFC championship game to the undefeated Miami Dolphins, who went on to win Super Bowl VII. The Immaculate Reception marked the end of Pittsburgh’s years of futility, however, as the Steelers became a dominant force in the NFL over the next decade, winning four Super Bowls by 1980.

Clinton County News Headlines

December 12, 1951…Volume 3…Number 6

78 year old man has first half-dollar he earned

Mr. Lon C. Cummings, 78, who resides in the Lee’s Chapel Community, was in town one day last week. Mr. Cummings has the first half-dollar he earned, which is dated 1809. The money was earned by hauling a hog for Dick Lawrence from the old Illwill Post Office to the Shipley Post Office. The trip was made in an old steer cart pulled by oxen. He was a small boy when this coin came into his possession.

Remembers the Civil War

“Uncle” Nelson Harper, a resident of Highway, Ky., was in town last Thursday. More than 90 years old, he remembers the War Between The States.

Uncle Nelson says he has lived at the same place for the past 62 years. He lives by himself.

He contributes his long life to the good of the Lord. He says he eats and sleeps good, but is not as active as he was a few years ago, as he is bothered with rheumatism to some extent.

Uncle Nelson is one of the three oldest men in the county.

Bulldogs defeat Edmonton 54-53

The CCHS basketball team journeyed to Edmonton Friday and won another close game, wining by one point, 54-53.

The Bulldogs got off to a good start in the first quarter which ended 17 to 8 in their favor and led 36 to 23 at the half. Edmonton outplayed our boys in the last half trailing by only five points, 42-37, a the end of the third quarter, and climbing to within one point at the final whistle.

Leading scorer for the Bulldogs was Tuggle with 15, Brummett got 13, Denton 12, Dyer 6, Groce 3, Cummings 2, Smith 2, and Bertram 1.

The Pups lost to the Edmonton “B:” team 21 to 31. Sloan and Russell scored 5 each, Haddix and Dicken 4 each, Conner 2, and Walls 1.

The strong Gamaliel team, which has not lost a gem this season, will play here Friday night of this week.

18 Take Army Physicals

Eighteen registrants were sent to Corbin Monday of this week where they were given physical examinations for possible service in the armed forces.

They were: Charles Watson Shelton, Arthur Mervin Riddle, James Earl Huddleston, Samuel Gordon Speck, William Welby Stearns, Clifton Raymond Brown, Bobby Minford Owens, Marion Hugh Brown, Bobby Max Pierce, Howard Marvin Beaty, Jessie Eugene Branham, Mervin Vernor Jones, Leonard Ray Smith, Glenn Hubert Sharp, James Royce Scott, Billy Covey Jr., George Robert Jarvis, and Raymond Kenneth Brown.

4-H Cub organized at Five Springs

On Thursday evening, October 25, 1951, a 4-H Club was organized at Five Springs School with 16 members. The following officers were elected: Johnny Sawyer, President; Kimball Duvall, Vice President; Jo Ann Perdue, Song Leader; and Bertie Perdue, Sec./Treasurer. These members were present: Ruth Antle, Norma Brown, Gail Conner, Ralph Cross, Kimball Duvall, Jimmie Hurst, Wanda Hurst, Norma Lee, Clayton Melton, Bertie Perdue, Dottie Perdue, Jo Ann Perdue, Joyce Pickens, Patsy Pickens, Johnny Sawyer, and Jackie Thrasher.

On Friday, Nov. 2, 1951, we met for our first program. The topic of our program was “Home”. The following program was given: Song, “Home on the Range, “The Homing Instinct”, by Kimball Duvall. “Books Help To Make Good Homes,” by Ruth Antle. “A Cub Member’s Home Should Be Safe,” by Norma Lee. “Dreams of Home,” by Wanda Hurst. “Homes In Other Lands,” by Bertie Perdue. “Who’s Who,” poem by Dottie Perdue.

We were happy to have as our guest Mr. Garside, State Supervisor of 4-H work, and Mr. Salisbury, our County Agent.

Our next meeting will be in December. We invite our parents and neighbors to our meetings.

We want to be one of the best clubs in Clinton County and it will take the cooperation of all.

Bertie Perdue, Sec.