On this day, Dec. 17
1903 Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, N.C., using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.
1933 In the inaugural NFL championship game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.
1958 John Dearden, Roman Catholic bishop of Pittsburgh, was appointed archbishop of Detroit.
1975 At Three Rivers Stadium, the Steelers defeated the Baltimore Colts, 28-10, in the NFL playoffs before a crowd of 50,000. 1992 Today marked the first day of publication of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, an offshoot of the Greensburg Tribune-Review. 2019 Joe Biden released a doctor’s report saying that the 77-year-old former vice president was “healthy, vigorous” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”
Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).
— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Actor Armin MuellerStahl, 90. Pope Francis, 84. Singer-actor Tommy Steele, 84. Actor Bernard Hill, 76 Actor Ernie Hudson, 75. Political commentator Chris Matthews, 75. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy, 74. Actor Marilyn Hassett, 73. Actor Wes Studi, 73. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries), 72. Actor Joel Brooks, 71. Rock singer Paul Rodgers, 71. Rhythm-and-blues singer Wanda Hutchinson Vaughn (The Emotions), 69. Actor Bill Pullman, 67. Actor Barry Livingston, 67. Country singer Sharon White, 67. Producerdirector-writer Peter Farrelly, 64. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.), 62. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama), 59. Country singer Tracy Byrd, 54. Country musician Duane Propes, 54. Actor Laurie Holden, 51. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray), 50. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas, 50. Actor Claire Forlani, 49. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic), 47. Actor Sarah Paulson, 46. Actor Marissa Ribisi, 46. Actor Giovanni Ribisi, 46. Actor Milla Jovovich, 45. Singer Bree Sharp, 45. Singer-songwriter Ben Goldwasser (MGMT), 38. Rock singer Mikky Ekko, 37. Actor Shannon Woodward, 36. Actor Emma Bell, 34. Actor Vanessa Zima, 34. Rock musician Taylor York (Paramore), 31. Actor Graham Rogers, 30.
Thought for today: “A fool and his money are soon parted, but you never call him a fool till the money is gone.”
— Author unknown