Historical Events
- 42nd Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Melbourne (3-2)
Shoemaker Shatters Record
Bill Shoemaker shatters record, riding 485 winners in a year
- Hulan Jack sworn in as Manhattan Borough president
- WFBC (now WYFF) TV channel 4 in G'ville-Spartanburg, SC (NBC) begins
Famous Birthdays
- James Remar, American actor (48 Hours, Rent-a-Cop, Cotton Club), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Jane Badler, American actress (Fine Gold, Easy Kill, V), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Michael Hedges, American new-age guitarist, composer, and singer (Aerial Boundaries), born in Sacramento, California (d. 1997)
- Yahya Ould Hademine, Mauritanian politician and 13th Prime Minister of Mauritania (2014-present), born in Timbédra, French West Africa
Famous Deaths
- Albert Plesman, Dutch aviation pioneer and founder (KLM), dies at 64
Died in 1953 1953 Highlights
About December 31, 1953
Day of the Week: Thursday
How Long Ago? 70 years, 3 months and 28 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Baby Boomer
Chinese Zodiac: Snake
Star Sign: Capricorn
Music Charts
#1 Song: Answer Me - David Whitfield
