December 19

Events

• 1797: Greek poet Rigas Fereos is arrested by Austrian authorities in Trieste.
• 1839: The Ecumenical Patriarchate comdemns the teachings of Theophilos Kairis.
• 1923: King George II goes into exile.
• 1924: The 8-hour workday is established in Greece.
• 1934: The Athens Stock Market moves to 10 Sofokleous Street.
• 1980: Unidentified bombers destroy mega-stores Katrantzos and Mignon in Athens.
• 1981: A major earthquake (7.2 on the Richter scale) strikes off the coast of Lesbos.

Sports

• 1973: Greece is defeated by Yugoslavia with 2-4 (Kostas Eleftherakis-Katalinski own goal) for the World Cup qualifiers at Karaiskaki Stadium. Dusan Bajevic is the scorer of one of the Yugoslavian goals but he will be sent off after an affray with Glezos. Yugoslavia, who had needed a 3-goal difference win to qualify over Spain, were forced to play a play-off match before they finally qualified

Deaths

• 1978: Kostas Pretenteris, journalist/writer of theatrical works.