*On Dec. 31, 1879, inventor Thomas Edison delighted onlookers with the first public demonstration of his incandescent lightbulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company even ran special trains to the city for the event.
*On Jan. 1, 1995, the tales of giant rogue waves recounted by sailors for centuries were finally proved when a freak 85-foot-high wave was measured hitting the Draupner oil platform off the coast of Norway.
*On Jan. 3, 1993, backup quarterback Frank Reich led the Buffalo Bills to a 41-38 overtime victory over the Houston Oilers in an American Football Conference playoff game immortalized to football fans as “The Comeback.”
*On Jan. 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic representative from California, became the first woman to hold the Speaker of the House position. She would become Speaker again in 2018.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
