Today in History

Today is Sunday, Dec. 30, the 365th day of 2012. There is one day left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Dec. 30, 1962, the Green Bay Packers defeated the New York Giants 16-7 in the NFL Championship Game; the event was filmed by Blair Motion Pictures, which later became NFL Films.

On this date:

In 1813, the British burned Buffalo, N.Y., during the War of 1812.

In 1853, the United States and Mexico signed a treaty under which the U.S. agreed to buy some 45,000 square miles of land from Mexico for $10 million in a deal known as the Gadsden Purchase.

In 1860, 10 days after South Carolina seceded from the Union, the state militia seized the United States Arsenal in Charleston.

In 1903, about 600 people died when fire broke out at the recently opened Iroquois Theater in Chicago.

In 1922, Vladimir I. Lenin proclaimed the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

In 1936, the United Auto Workers union staged its first "sit-down" strike at the General Motors Fisher Body Plant No. 1 in Flint, Mich. (The strike lasted until Feb. 11, 1937.)

In 1940, California's first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena, was officially opened by Gov. Culbert L. Olson.

In 1948, the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me, Kate" opened on Broadway.

In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was inaugurated for his first term as president of the Philippines.

In 1972, the United States halted its heavy bombing of North Vietnam.

In 1994, a gunman walked into a pair of suburban Boston abortion clinics and opened fire, killing two employees. (John C. Salvi III was later convicted of murder; he died in prison, an apparent suicide.)

In 2006, Iraqis awoke to news that Saddam Hussein had been hanged; victims of his three decades of autocratic rule took to the streets to celebrate.

Ten years ago: A suspected extremist killed three U.S. missionaries at a Baptist hospital in Yemen. (The gunman, Abed Abdul Razak Kamel, was executed in Feb. 2006.) China catapulted a fourth unmanned craft into orbit.

Five years ago: Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki was declared winner of an election opponents and observers alleged was rigged; violence flared in Nairobi slums and coastal resort towns, killing scores in the following days. Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son, Bilawal Zardari, was named symbolic leader of her Pakistan Peoples Party, while her husband took effective control.

One year ago: North Korea warned the world there would be no softening of its position toward South Korea's government following Kim Jong Il's death as Pyongyang strengthened his son and heir's authority with a new title: "Great Leader." Russell Brand announced that he and Katy Perry were divorcing after 14 months of what appeared to be a storybook marriage.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Joseph Bologna is 78. Actor Russ Tamblyn is 78. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Sandy Koufax is 77. Actor Jack Riley is 77. Folk singer Noel Paul Stookey is 75. TV director James Burrows is 72. Actor Fred Ward is 70. Singer-musician Michael Nesmith is 70. Actress Concetta Tomei is 67. Singer Patti Smith is 66. Rock singer-musician Jeff Lynne is 65. TV host Meredith Vieira is 59. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph is 57. Actress Patricia Kalember is 56. Country singer Suzy Bogguss is 56. "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer is 55. Actress-comedian Tracey Ullman is 53. Rock musician Rob Hotchkiss is 52. Radio-TV commentator Sean Hannity is 51. Sprinter Ben Johnson is 51. Actor George Newbern is 49. Singer Jay Kay (Jamiroquai) is 43. Rock musician Byron McMackin (Pennywise) is 43. Actress Meredith Monroe is 43. Actor Daniel Sunjata is 41. Actress Maureen Flannigan is 40. Actor Jason Behr is 39. Golfer Tiger Woods is 37. TV personality-boxer Laila Ali is 35. Actress Lucy Punch is 35. Singer-actor Tyrese Gibson is 34. Actress Eliza Dushku is 32. Rock musician Tim Lopez (Plain White T's) is 32. Actress Kristin Kreuk is 30. NBA player LeBron James is 28. Pop-rock singer Ellie Goulding is 26. Pop-rock musician Jamie Follese (Hot Chelle Rae) is 21.

Thought for Today: "I always say beauty is only sin deep." -- H.H. Munro ("Saki"), British author (1870-1916).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.