Texas joined the Union as the 28th state, after its war of
independence against Mexico and 10 years as a Lone
Star republic, on this day in history, Dec. 29, 1845.

The vast state, larger in area than the nation of France,
joined the union but never lost its sense of independence.

"For all its enormous range of space, climate, and physical
appearance, and for all the internal squabbles, contentions,
and strivings, Texas has a tight cohesiveness perhaps
stronger than any other section of America," famed author
John Steinbeck wrote in his 1962 travelogue, "Travels with
Charley: In Search of America." (Fox News)

(Fox News) – The Baltimore Colts stunned the New York Giants
23-17 in "sudden death" at the NFL championship game at
Yankee Stadium before a mesmerized nationwide television
audience on this day in history, Dec. 28, 1958.

The event has gone down in American sports lore as "the
greatest game ever played."

The dramatic title tilt helped popularize pro football at a time
when it ranked behind baseball and college football — even
boxing and horse racing — in the national sporting
consciousness. 

On December 28, 1895, the world’s first commercial movie
screening took place at the Grand Café in Paris. The film
was made by Louis and Auguste Lumiere, two French
brothers who developed a camera-projector called the
Cinematographe. The Lumiere brothers unveiled their
invention to the public in March 1895 with a brief film
showing workers leaving the Lumiere factory (above).

On December 28, the entrepreneurial siblings screened
a series of short scenes from everyday French life and
charged admission for the first time.

The  Garand Café in Paris.

The Lumiere Brothers

The Lumiere Cinematographe.

During Apollo 8‘s 10 lunar orbits, television images were sent
back home and spectacular photos were taken of the Earth
and the moon from the spacecraft. In addition to being the
First human beings to view firsthand their home world in its
entirety, the three astronauts were also the first to see the far
side of the moon. On Christmas morning, Apollo 8 left its lunar
orbit and began its journey back to Earth, landing safely in the
Pacific Ocean on December 27, 1968.