1. On December 28, 1732, the Maryland Gazette published its first edition. This historic newspaper, which was published weekly in Annapolis, provided readers with news from around the region and served as a major source of information during the Revolutionary War.

2. In 1854, the Maryland General Assembly met on December 28 to discuss the possibility of abolishing slavery in the state. While the effort ultimately failed, it marked an important step forward in the fight for civil rights in Maryland.

3. On December 28, 1911, the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was founded in Baltimore. Today, the school is a leading institution for public health research and education, with a mission to improve the health of communities around the world.

4. In 1973, Maryland native and football legend Johnny Unitas played his final game for the San Diego Chargers on December 28. Unitas, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, spent the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts.

5. On December 28, 1986, Maryland basketball great Len Bias passed away from a drug overdose. Bias, who was selected second overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft, was widely expected to become a superstar in the league before his untimely death. His tragic passing was a wake-up call for many about the dangers of drug use.