Today in History for Nov. 25, 2014

John Murphy of Monroe County, Ala.

Nov. 25, 1692 – In connection with the Salem witchcraft trials, the Massachusetts General Court established a Superior Court to pardon remaining witches.

Nov. 25, 1813 – The United Grand Lodge of England was organized.

Nov. 25, 1825 – John Murphy of Monroe County, Ala. was inaugurated Governor of Alabama. Born in 1786 in Robeson County, N.C., he died Sept. 21, 1841 in Clarke County.

Nov. 25, 1863 – During the Battle of Missionary Ridge at Missionary Ridge in Tennessee, Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant broke the Siege of Chattanooga by routing Confederate troops under General Braxton Bragg.

Nov. 25, 1864 – A group of Confederate operatives calling themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan started fires in more than 20 locations in an unsuccessful attempt to burn down New York City.

Nov. 25, 1864 – The last issue of The Claiborne Herald newspaper was published in Claiborne, Ala.

Nov. 25, 1909 – Prominent Monroeville, Ala. lawyer Francis W. Hare married Mary Stallworth.

Nov. 25, 1914 – Baseball player Joe DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California.

Nov. 25, 1921 - The first play-by-play broadcast of a football game was aired in College Station, Texas via an amateur radio station. The game was between the University of Texas and Texas A&M in Austin.

Nov. 25, 1923 – Former Evergreen mayor Henry Albert “H.A.” Shields passed away at the age of 74 in Evergreen. Thirty-five years before his death, Shields first came to Evergreen as the roadmaster of the L&N Railroad. He was a leading member of the local Methodist Church and for many years was Sunday School superintendent. He served several terms as Evergreen’s mayor and also served as Evergreen’s town clerk and treasurer. He also served as Worshipful Master of the local Masonic Lodge. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery (and his tombstone says he passed away on Dec. 4, 1923).

Nov. 25, 1950 – The Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950, known at the time as the "Storm of the Century", struck New England with hurricane force winds resulting in massive forest blow-downs and storm surge damage along the Northeast coast including New York City. This storm also brought blizzard conditions to the Appalachian Mountains and Ohio Valley, becoming one of the worst storms of all time. The storm paralyzed the Northeast, with winds up to 100 miles per hour, sub-zero temperatures, and 57 inches of snow. Three hundred fifty-three people died in the event.

Nov. 25, 1963 – NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He would go on to play for the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.

Nov. 25, 1965 - The first color broadcast of an NFL game aired on CBS. The Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts played to a 24-24 tie.

Nov. 25, 1976 - O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills ran for 273 yards against the Detroit Lions.

Nov. 25, 1984 - The television program “The Word Processor of the Gods,” teleplay by Alabama author Robert McDowell, was broadcast as part of the “Tales from the Darkside” series.

Nov. 25, 2002 - Pete Rose and baseball commissioner Bud Selig met secretly to discuss Rose's lifetime ban from baseball.

Nov. 25, 2008 – Uriah, Ala. native Lambert C. Mims, who served four terms as Mobile’s mayor, passed away in Mobile at the age of 78.

Nov. 25, 1950 – The Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950, known at the time as the "Storm of the Century", struck New England with hurricane force winds resulting in massive forest blow-downs and storm surge damage along the Northeast coast including New York City. This storm also brought blizzard conditions to the Appalachian Mountains and Ohio Valley, becoming one of the worst storms of all time. The storm paralyzed the Northeast, with winds up to 100 miles per hour, sub-zero temperatures, and 57 inches of snow. Three hundred fifty-three people died in the event.

Nov. 25, 1963 – NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He would go on to play for the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.

Nov. 25, 1965 - The first color broadcast of an NFL game aired on CBS. The Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts played to a 24-24 tie.