TODAY IN HISTORY: NYC’s first ball drop in 1907

December 31

In 1775, the British repulsed an American force led by generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold at Quebec City. The Americans began the attack in a pre-dawn blizzard but were driven back by the British under the command of Gov. Guy Carleton. He was aided by some Highland soldiers, Newfoundland fishermen, crews from British ships and French and British-Canadian militiamen. Montgomery was killed in the battle.

In 1907, the first Ball Drop was held in Times Square in New York City, organized by the owner of the New York Times. It has been held annually except in 1942 and 1943 due to the Second World War.

In 1931, Henderson Lake, B.C. finished the year with 800 cm (319.78 inches) of rain. It’s the wettest place on record in Canadian history.

In 1979, “Escape “The Pina Colada Song)” by Rueprt Holmes was the final No. 1 single of the decade. It dropped form No. 1 the following week by “Please Don’t Go” by KC and the Sunshine Band, but regained the top position, making it Billboard’s first No. 1 in two different decades.

In 1984, Rick Allen, drummer for Def Leppard, lost an arm in a car crash. He rejoined the band after his recovery, playing a specially designed drum kit.

January 1

In 1622, the Roman Catholic church adopted Jan. 1 as the start of the year, rather than March 25.

In 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which ordered an end to slavery. It was issued as a “necessary war measure” during the American civil war. It did not immediately free a single slave because it applied only to states still under control of the Confederate army. But it did help to cripple the agricultural economies of Confederate states as thousands of slaves fled plantations for the North.

In 1922, British Columbia changed to driving on the right side of the road.

In 1953, Hank Williams died of a heart attack brought on by excessive drinking. He and his band, The Drifting Cowboys, had been booked to play in Canton, Ohio, and Williams hired a limousine to take him to the gig. Williams is said to have fallen asleep during the trip from Knoxville, Tenn., and when the driver tried to wake him in Oak Hill, Va., the singer was dead. Some researchers believe Williams was already dead when he was put in the Cadillac by two hotel workers on New Year’s Eve. The controversy was fuelled by the hasty autopsy performed at a funeral home in Oak Hill.

January 2

In 1929, bush pilots Wilfrid Reid (Wop) May and Vic Horner left Edmonton to fly diphtheria vaccines to Fort Vermilion, Alta, 1,600 kilometres north. It had taken a 12-day journey by dogsled to bring news of the emergency to the nearest telegraph. The flyers made the journey in an open aircraft, with oil burners to keep the vaccine from freezing. They were met by 10,000 people when they returned to Edmonton.

In 1935, Bruno Richard Hauptmann went on trial in Flemington, N.J., for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. He was convicted the following month and executed in April 1936.

In 1971, in one of the worst sports disasters in Britain’s history, 66 soccer fans, including two Canadians, were killed in a stampede at the end of a soccer game at Ibrox Park stadium in Glasgow, Scotland. Another 200 were injured. The steel crowd-channelling barriers collapsed under the weight of fans pressing to leave the match.

In 1989 a ferry overloaded with New Year’s travellers sank off Guatemala’s east coast after running out of fuel, leaving 67 dead and 14 missing.

In 1995, Fernando Henrique Cardoso was sworn in as Brazil’s 38th President.