Today in history

In 1945, Robert Gray of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve won a posthumous Victoria Cross. The B.c.-born aviator took part in a bombing attack on a Japanese destroyer.

In 1969, actress Sharon Tate and four others were found brutally murdered in Tate's Los Angeles home which she shared with her husband, movie director Roman Polanski. Four people, including Charles Manson, were later convicted of the crime.

In 1974, U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation took effect, making Vice President Gerald Ford the 38th American president.

In 1974, nine Canadians were killed when a transport plane on UN peacekeeping service in Lebanon was shot down by a Syrian missile. The plane was en route to Damascus from Beirut. The crew was providing air transport and communications support to the UN Emergency Force when Syrian anti-aircraft guns opened fire.

In 1982, the T. Eaton Co. ended its sponsorship of Toronto's Santa Claus parade after 77 years.

In 1988, in perhaps the most stunning trade in NHL history, Wayne Gretzky and two other players were traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for three Kings, three draft picks and more than US$10 million. Gretzky, considered by many to be the best hockey player of his generation, wept at the news conference announcing the deal. Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups in five years and at age 27 was still in his prime as a player. Gretzky retired from hockey in 1999 as a New York Ranger and was immediately named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. His jersey number of 99 was retired by the league forever.

In 1989, naval pilot Hampton Gray was the first member of the Allied forces to be honoured by the Japanese with a memorial. Gray was the last Canadian known to have died in the Second World War. He was shot down and killed while leading a daring bombing raid on Japanese warships and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

In 1990, a lifetime ban preventing sprinter Ben Johnson from competing for Canada was lifted by the federal government. The ban was imposed after Johnson tested positive for steroids at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and stripped of his gold medal in the 100-metre dash.

In 1993, police arrested more than 250 opponents of Clayoquot Sound logging in the largest mass arrest in British Columbia history.

In 1996, Boris Yeltsin was sworn in for his second term as Russia's president.

In 1999, Berlin resumed its role as the federal capital of Germany, taking over from Bonn.

In 2000, Bridgestone/firestone Inc. recalled 6.5 million tires on sports utility vehicles and light trucks as the U.S. government investigated whether tires caused hundreds of accidents and at least 46 deaths.

In 2001, British Columbia nurses ended an illegal two-day strike after the province passed controversial legislation forcing 33,000 nurses and health-care professionals to accept a three-year contract.

In 2003, Tony award winner Gregory Hines, the greatest tap dancer of his generation, who also transcended the stage with successful film and television roles, died at age 57.

In 2003, the U.S. announced it would partially lift a ban imposed on Canadian beef after a single case of mad cow disease was found in May.

In 2004, Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on 161 state charges. Nichols had already been sentenced to life without parole in 1998 on federal bombing charges. He was spared the death penalty on both the state and federal counts when jurors could not agree on a sentence.

In 2006, Master Cpl. Jeffrey Scott Walsh, who had arrived in Afghanistan only six days earlier, was killed while on patrol apparently in an accidental discharge of a firearm by another Canadian soldier.

In 2007, David Beckham made his long-awaited Major League Soccer debut. He took the field in the 72nd minute of the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 loss at D.C. United.

In 2008, Master Cpl. Josh Roberts, who was originally from Saskatoon but based in Shilo, Man., since 2006, was killed during a skirmish in the Zhari district west of Kandahar City.

In 2009, Tiger Woods notched his 70th career PGA victory, the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone. He became the first player in PGA Tour history to win seven times on the same golf course. (He won it for an 8th time in 2013.)

In 2012, Canada's women's soccer team captured a bronze medal at the London Olympics when Diana Matheson scored in the 92nd minute to beat France 10. The result gaves Canada its first Summer Games medal in a traditional team sport since winning silver in men's basketball in 1936.

In 2012, just days after repeating as 100-metre champ, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt defended his 200metre Olympic title, becoming the first man to win back-to-back sprint doubles. (He also won both races in 2016.)

In 2014, unarmed black teenager Michael Brown Jr. was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., igniting days of sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson and other U.S. cities and spawning a national “Black Lives Matter” movement. On Nov. 24, a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson, sparking more protests and violence. Wilson resigned from the police force days later.