On this day

December 23, 1978

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from December 23, 1978

City to Ask Trade‐In of Aid Set for L.I. Expressway

By Lee Dembart

NYS Gov Carey and NYC Mayor Koch to ask Fed Hwy Adm to let NYC trade in $270 million earmarked for rebuilding LI Expressway and use $100 million of it for improving mass transit; move is seen as effort to placate opponents of Westway; approval is expected (M)

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Ethiopians Stir New Somali Fears With Bombings and Army Buildup

By John Darnton Special to The New York Times

Series of Ethiopian bombing raids on northern towns in Somalia and repts of Ethiopian troops massing across border have generated alarm and rekindled fears of war; Somalia has protested bombing in messages to UN, African Unity Orgn and Arab League; Somali envoys are charging that Ethiopia is preparing for invasion; Western diplomats, however, say raids are designed to harass and punish Somalia for continued support of ethnic Somali insurgents fighting in Ogaden; map (M)

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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of December 20, 1978, covering December 23, 1978.

  1. 1
    Album cover for 52nd Street by Billy Joel

    52nd Street

    Billy Joel

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    9
  2. 2
    Album cover for A Wild And Crazy Guy by Steve Martin

    A Wild And Crazy Guy

    Steve Martin

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    2
    Weeks
    8
  3. 3
    Album cover for Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits; Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand

    Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits; Volume 2

    Barbra Streisand

    Last week
    3
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    4
  4. 4
    Album cover for C'est Chic by Chic

    C'est Chic

    Chic

    Last week
    8
    Peak
    4
    Weeks
    4
  5. 5
    Album cover for Grease by Soundtrack

    Grease

    Soundtrack

    Last week
    6
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    32

Notable Births

Esthero

1978Esthero, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and producer[†]

Esthero is a Canadian singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, California. The name Esthero refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself and producer Doc McKinney. Esthero is a portmanteau of "Esther the hero"; she claims to have gotten the name by combining the name of the heroine (Esther) and last line of the film from Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar.

Aleš Kotalík

1978Aleš Kotalík, Czech ice hockey player[†]

Aleš Kotalík is a Czech former professional ice hockey right winger who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Calgary Flames.

Víctor Martínez (baseball)

1978Víctor Martínez, Venezuelan baseball player[†]

Víctor Jesús Martínez, also known by his nickname "V-Mart", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball designated hitter and catcher. Martínez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers. After joining the Tigers, he played mostly as a designated hitter.

Estella Warren

1978Estella Warren, Canadian swimmer, model, and actress[†]

Estella Dawn Warren is a Canadian actress, fashion model and former synchronized swimmer. During her swimming career she was a member of the Canada national team and won three national titles. Since 1994, she has been modelling through publications such as Sports Illustrated as well as working for campaigns for such brands as Perry Ellis and Victoria's Secret.

Historical Events

Alitalia Flight 4128

1978Alitalia Flight 4128 crashes into the Tyrrhenian Sea while on approach to Falcone Borsellino Airport in Palermo, Italy, killing 108.[†]

Alitalia Flight 4128 was a scheduled flight from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, in Rome, Italy, to Palermo International Airport in Palermo, Italy, with 129 on board. On 23 December 1978, it crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea about 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Palermo while on approach.

Historical Context for December 23, 1978

In 1978, the world population was approximately 4,292,097,502 people[†]