Births on December 20

Fred Merkle

Born on December 20, 1888

Fred Merkle, American baseball player and manager (d. 1958)

Carl Frederick Rudolf Merkle (also sometimes documented as Frederick Charles Merkle; December 20, 1888 – March 2, 1956), nicknamed "Bonehead", was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1907 to 1926. Although he had a lengthy career, he is best remembered for a controversial base-running mistake he made as a rookie while still a teenager.

References

Fred Merkle

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Events on 1888

16 May

Electric power transmission
Nikola Tesla delivers a lecture describing the equipment which will allow efficient generation and use of alternating currents to transmit electric power over long distances.
31 Aug

Jack the Ripper
Mary Ann Nichols is murdered. She is the first of Jack the Ripper's confirmed victims.
4 Sep

Kodak
George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak and receives a patent for his camera that uses roll film.
8 Sep

Annie Chapman
In London, the body of Jack the Ripper's second murder victim, Annie Chapman, is found.
30 Sep

Elizabeth Stride
Jack the Ripper kills his third and fourth victims, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes.

Births on December 20

Fred Merkle

Born on December 20, 1888

References

Choose Another Date

Events on 1888

Electric power transmission

Jack the Ripper

Kodak

Annie Chapman

Elizabeth Stride