Today in History: A Christmas Carol published

In 1843, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens, was first published in England. The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s spiritual conversion on Christmas Eve has been a Christmas classic ever since.

In 1846, in Canada’s first telegraph message, the mayors of Toronto and Hamilton exchanged greetings.

In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pa.

In 1915, Edith Piaf, the French chanteuse, was born on a Paris sidewalk with two policemen serving as midwives. After an unhappy childhood, she began singing outside sidewalk cafes at the age of 16. Eight years later, she was being acclaimed as one of France’s greatest music hall singers. Her fame spread to North America, where’s she’s best known for “La Vie En Rose,” a song for which she wrote the lyrics. Piaf’s personal life was marred by personal tragedy and illness. In the 1950s, she was injured in no less than three auto accidents. On Oct. 3, 1963, she was scheduled to open in a New York show entitled simply “Piaf,” but she became so ill she could not make the trip. Eight days after the scheduled opening, she was dead at age 48.

In 1917, the first NHL games were played. All four teams played, with the Montreal Canadiens hosting the Toronto Arenas and the Ottawa Senators at home against the Montreal Wanderers. The league had been established three weeks before in Montreal. Quebec was also granted a franchise, but it did not operate in the first season. Either Dave Ritchie of the Montreal Wanderers or Joe Malone of the Montreal Canadiens scored the first NHL goal. The dispute comes down to the fact there is no remaining record of when exactly each game started.

In 1941, Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler dismissed the commander of the German army and assumed the post himself two days later.

In 1945, British aristocrat John Amery was hanged as a traitor to his country. After he pleaded guilty to eight counts of high treason at his trial, his court appearance lasted for just eight minutes. He had been charged with treasonous broadcasts -- inducing British subjects in captivity to fight for Germany against Britain and Russia, and with making public speeches on behalf of the enemy in Antwerp, Lyons, and Paris while France and Belgium were under enemy occupation. Amery was 33.

In 1972, the “Apollo 17” spacecraft made a safe landing in the Pacific, ending the final moon flight of the U.S. space program.

In 1975, Bertha Wilson was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal, becoming the first woman in Canada to be named to a provincial court of appeal.

In 1977, Canada withdrew all government support for trade with South Africa because of the country’s apartheid policies.

In 1997, James Cameron’s “Titanic” opened. At the time, it was the most expensive movie ever made. It cost $200-million to make, but grossed over $2-billion worldwide. It won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture.

In 2008, U.S. President Bush announced US$17.4 billion in short-term financing to the troubled Big Three automakers.

In 2010, guitarist Carlos Santana married drummer Cindy Blackman of Lenny Kravitz's band during a rainy ceremony in Maui.

In 2017, a Canadian woman was among 12 people killed when a bus carrying cruise ship passengers to the Mayan ruins flipped over on a narrow highway in eastern Mexico. Her husband and two young daughters were among the 20 injured.