- Dec 1 MLB announces attendance for the season is 20.2 million, down from 20.9 in 1948; New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians each finish with over 2.2 million, but the St. Louis Browns fall to 270,000
- Dec 1 WBNG TV channel 12 in Binghamton, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Dec 1 WKTV TV channel 2 in Utica, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Dec 3 14th Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 14-13 in Birmingham
- Dec 3 KRLD (now KDFW) TV channel 4 in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Dec 4 Bob Gage ties NFL record of a 97 yard touchdown run
- Dec 4 Duncan Stewart, 2nd British Governor of Sarawak is fatally stabbed in the streets of Sibu by Malay student Rosli Dhoby with help from Morshidi Sidek with the goal of helping neighbouring Indonesia to take over British Sarawak
- Dec 7 15th Heisman Trophy Award: Leon Hart (end), Notre Dame
Chiang Kai-shek Flees
Dec 7 Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek flees to Taiwan
On the Town
Dec 8 "On the Town", the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, premieres
- Dec 8 Chinese Nationalist government moves from Chinese mainland to Formosa
- Dec 8 Jule Styne and Leo Robin's musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", starring Carol Channing, opens at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC; runs for 740 performances
- Dec 9 House of Representatives of The Netherlands accepts Indonesian sovereignty
- Dec 9 NFL merges with AAFC; Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers & Baltimore Colts join league intact, other teams in New York and Los Angeles are merged with existing units
- Dec 11 Chicago Bear Johnny Lujack passes for 6 touchdowns vs Chicago Cards (52-29)
- Dec 11 Cleveland Browns beat SF '49ers 21-7 in final AAFC championship game
- Dec 11 WOAI (now KMOL) TV channel 4 in San Antonio, TX (NBC) 1st broadcast
- Dec 12 AL votes 7-1 rejecting legalizing the spitball
- Dec 13 AL votes down proposal to revive spitball
- Dec 13 Knesset votes to transfer Israel's capital to Jerusalem
The Just Assassins
Dec 15 Albert Camus' play "The Just Assassins (Les Justes)" premieres in Paris
Regina
Dec 17 Marc Blitzstein's musical drama "Regina", based on Lillian Hellman's play "The Little Foxes", closes at 46th St Theatre, NYC. after 56 performances and 2 Tony Awards
A Streetcar Named Desire
Dec 17 Tennessee Williams' stage drama "A Streetcar Named Desire", starring Jessica Tandy, Marlon Brando, and Kim Hunter, and directed by Elia Kazan closes at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC, after 855 performances, winning a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize
"Beauty And The Beast"
Dec 20 Maurice Ravel and John Cranko's ballet "Beauty And The Beast" premieres
"Samson and Delilah"
Dec 21 "Samson and Delilah", directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature, premieres in New York
- Dec 21 Dutch 1st Chamber accept sovereignty of Indonesia
Event of Interest
Dec 27 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands grants independence to Indonesia
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