1879

Thomas Edison first demonstrated his electric incandescent lights for the public by illuminating some 100 bulbs in and around his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

1904

New York’s Times Square saw its first New Year’s Eve celebration, with an estimated 200,000 people in attendance.

1972

Major League Baseball player Roberto Clemente, 38, was killed when a plane he had chartered and was traveling on to bring relief supplies to earthquake-devastated Nicaragua crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Rico.

1985

Singer Rick Nelson, 45, and six others were killed when fire broke out aboard a plane that was taking the group to a New Year’s Eve performance in Dallas.

1999

Russian President Boris Yeltsin resigned, making Prime Minister Vladimir Putin acting president.

2022

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who had become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign as pope, died at age 95.

Birthdays

Actor Anthony Hopkins is 87. Rock musician Andy Summers (The Police) is 82. Actor Ben Kingsley is 81. Actor Bebe Neuwirth is 66. Author Nicholas Sparks is 59. Businessman Donald Trump Jr. is 47. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is 45. Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Gabby Douglas is 29.