Historical eventDecember 141948

Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.

American physicists Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann were awarded a patent for their cathode-ray tube amusement device, the first interactive electronic game.

In context

When
Tuesday, December 14 194878 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1940s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1948.

What happened

American physicists Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann were awarded a patent for their cathode-ray tube amusement device, the first interactive electronic game.

December 14 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1948Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.
  2. 1999Vargas tragedy
  3. 2003Pervez Musharraf
  4. 2004Millau Viaduct
  5. 2008Baghdad
  6. 2012Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
  7. 2013South Sudanese Civil War
  8. 2017The Walt Disney Company
  9. 2020Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020
  10. 2025Rob Reiner
  11. 2025Bondi Beach shooting

Also in 1948

  • September 12People's Liberation ArmyThe People's Liberation Army launched the Liaoshen campaign, the first of the three major military campaigns during the late stage of the…
  • September 18Australia national cricket teamThe Australian cricket team's Invincibles tour of England concluded; they had played 34 matches, including five Tests, without defeat.
  • June 17United Air Lines Flight 624United Air Lines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6, crashes near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, killing all 43 people on board.
  • July 8United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force accepts its first female recruits into a program called the Women's Air Force (WAF).
  • December 22Sjafruddin PrawiranegaraChaired by Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia was established to counter Dutch attempts to r…
  • December 9United Nations General AssemblyThe United Nations General Assembly adopted the Genocide Convention, which defines genocide in legal terms and obligates its signatories…
  • July 17Olympia, GreeceIn Olympia, Greece, the Summer Olympics torch relay, nicknamed the "relay of peace", began.
  • October 291948 Arab–Israeli WarArab–Israeli War: The Israel Defense Forces massacred at least 52 villagers while capturing the Palestinian Arab village of Safsaf.

Everything we record for 1948 →

Sources

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“Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/thomas-t-goldsmith-jr-1948-december-14, accessed October 25, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. happen?

December 14 1948 — 78 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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