Today in History, 3 December: What Happened on this Day
Today in History: It’s the final stretch of 2022. Less than a month is left before 2023 arrives, and today is 3 December. The day feels just like another normal, chilly day in December but holds a critical place in history.
From the horrific Bhopal Gas Tragedy and the start of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 to the birth of field hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand and the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, many pivotal events took place on this day in history on December 3.
Read on to know what happened on this day (Dec. 3) in sports, politics, art, famous birthdays, and deaths.
Historical Events On This Day
- In 1580, English astronomer and mathematician Thomas Harriot introduced potatoes to the British Isles.
- In 1910, modern neon lighting was first demonstrated by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show.
- In 1926, British mystery and detective novelist Agatha Christie mysteriously disappeared for 11 days.
- In 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant in South Africa on Louis Washkansky.
- In 1971, Pakistan Air Force attacked North India, with the Indian Air Force quickly launching retaliatory strikes and thus starting the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
- In 1984, one of the worst man-made disasters occurred in Bhopal, India. A methyl isocyanate leak from a Union Carbide pesticide plant ended up killing over 15,000 people and injuring more than half a million.
- In 1989, U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev released statements indicating the end of the Cold War after meeting in Malta.
- In 2019, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced their resignation from the company, with Sundar Pichai succeeding them as CEO of both companies.
Sports Events Today
- In 1982, after losing his world welterweight boxing title to Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns won the WBC Super Welterweight title after beating Wilfred Benitez.
- In 2018, Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modrić won the Ballon d’Or award, marking the first time since 2007 that either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t win.
Art & Culture Events Today
- In 1943, Howard Hanson conducted the premiere of his 4th symphony ("Requiem") with the Boston Symphony and later won the 1944 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
- In 1967, an assassination attempt was made on reggae legend Bob Marley in Kingston, Jamaica.
- In 2018, David Attenborough warned that the collapse of civilization and the natural world was on the horizon at the UN climate summit in Poland.
- In 2019, Spotify revealed Drake to be the most streamed star of the 2010s with 28 billion streams, while Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" was the most streamed track with 2.4 billion streams.
Important Day on December 3
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Theme: Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world
Notable Deaths On This Day
| Sr No |
Death Year |
Personality |
| 1 |
1888 |
Carl Zeiss, German industrialist who gained worldwide reputation as a manufacturer of fine optical instruments and is mentioned on almost every modern camera lens |
| 2 |
1894 |
Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish novelist and poet who wrote the acclaimed novels Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde |
| 3 |
1919 |
Pierre Auguste Renoir, French impressionist painter and sculptor |
| 4 |
1979 |
Major Dhyan Chand, Indian hockey player regarded as the greatest sportsman in hockey for his incredible ball control and demolishing the competition at the 1936 Berlin Olympics |
| 5 |
1980 |
Oswald Mosley, English politician, Hitler supporter and leader of the British Union of Fascists from 1932 to 1940 |
| 6 |
2011 |
Dev Anand, beloved Indian actor and filmmaker known for his highly successful films like Vidya, Paying Guest, and Guide |
Famous Birthdays On This Day
| Sr No |
Birth Year |
Personality |
| 1 |
1368 |
Charles VI, King of France from 1380 to 1422, who was plagued by psychotic episodes |
| 2 |
1730 |
Mahadaji Shinde, Maratha ruler of Gwalior and the youngest son of Ranoji Rao Scindia, the founder of the Scindia dynasty |
| 3 |
1838 |
Octavia Hill, English activist and author |
| 4 |
1884 |
Rajendra Prasad, Indian lawyer and politician who became the first President of Independent India in 1959 |
| 5 |
1930 |
Jean-Luc Godard, French filmmaker and one of the greatest visionaries of cinema responsible for the French New Wave films like Breathless and Contempt |
| 6 |
1948 |
Ozzy Osbourne, British musician and the lead singer of the iconic heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath |
| 7 |
1960 |
Julianne Moore, American actress known for her inspirational women-centric films like Still Alice and The Hours |
| 8 |
1979 |
Sean Parker, American entrepreneur who founded the file-sharing platform Napster and served as the first president of Facebook |
Also Read: Today in History (1 December)
Also Read: Today in History (2 December)
Also Read: Today in History (29 November)
