I Robot
Dec 2 "I Robot" collection of sci-fi short stories by Isaac Asimov published by Gnome Press in the US
- Dec 2 15th Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 34-0 in Birmingham
- Dec 2 South African world bantamweight boxing champion Vic Toweel sets a record for knockdowns in a title fight against Englishman Danny Sullivan in Johannesburg; Sullivan floored 14 times in 10 rounds before fight stopped
- Dec 3 Cleveland Browns last NFL team with no-pass game (beat Philadelphia 13-7)
Charles vs. Barone
Dec 5 Ezzard Charles KOs Nick Barone in 11 for heavyweight boxing title
- Dec 5 Sikkim becomes a protectorate of India
Bunche Nobel Peace Prize
Dec 10 Ralph Bunche (1st black American) presented the Nobel Peace Prize for mediation in Israel
- Dec 11 Baseball owners vote 9-7 not to renew Commissioner Chandler's contract
Discovery of the Pion Wins Nobel
Dec 11 British Physicist Cecil Frank Powell awarded Nobel Prize in Physics for his study of nuclear processes and the discovery of the pion
Hindemith's Concerto for Clarinet
Dec 11 Paul Hindemith's Concerto for Clarinet premieres with Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, and Benny Goodman as soloist, at the Academy of Music
James Dean's Pepsi Commercial
Dec 13 James Dean begins his career with an appearance in a Pepsi commercial
- Dec 14 Baseball owners choose Lou Perini (Braves), Phil Wrigley (Cubs), Del Webb (Yankees), & Ellis Ryan (Indians) to select new commissioner
- Dec 14 Musical "Bless You All" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 84 performances
- Dec 14 UN General Assembly establishes High Commission for Refugees, goes on to win Nobel Peace Prize in 1954
- Dec 15 NYC's Port Authority opens
- Dec 16 "Let's Make an Opera" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 5 performances
Shirley Temple Retires
Dec 16 Child star Shirley Temple announces her retirement from films aged 22
Truman Declares State of Emergency
Dec 16 US President Harry Truman proclaims state of emergency against "Communist imperialism"
Dalai Lama Fees
Dec 19 Chinese invasion of Tibet forces the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to flee Lhasa for Yadong on the Tibetan-India border [1]
Eisenhower NATO Commander
Dec 19 General Eisenhower named NATO commander
"Harvey"
Dec 20 "Harvey" starring James Stewart premieres in New York
"Out of This World"
Dec 21 Cole Porter's musical "Out of This World" an adaptation of Titus Plautus's mythological comedy Amphitryon, starring George Gaynes, opens at New Century Theater, NYC; runs for 157 performances
- Dec 22 2 self-propelled trains of Long Island RR collide, killing 77
- Dec 24 National Football League Championship, Cleveland Stadium: Cleveland Browns beat LA Rams, 30-28; Cleveland has 5 interceptions, Rams 1
- Dec 25 Coronation Stone, taken from Scone in Scotland by Edward I in 1296, stolen from Westminster Abbey & smuggled back to Scotland
- Dec 26 Gillette & Mutual buy All Star & World Series rights ($6M for 6 yrs)
- Dec 28 Chinese troops cross 38th Parallel, into South Korea
- Dec 28 The Peak District becomes the United Kingdom's 1st National Park
- Dec 30 "Sixty Minute Man" record single released by The Dominoes (Billboard Song of the Year 1951)
Tennessee Waltz
Dec 30 "Tennessee Waltz" sung by Patti Page hits #1 on the Billboard Pop Chart (stays for 9 weeks)
- Dec 30 Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become Independent states within the French Union
Shoemaker and Culmone Tied
Dec 31 American thoroughbred jockeys Bill Shoemaker and Joe Culmone end the year tied, leading the nation with record 388 wins