On November 16, 1952 Lucy van Pelt started playing a cruel joke on Charlie Brown. She pulled a football away just as poor Charlie was about to kick it. To view this 1952 strip click here:

This running joke soon became a staple every year.
You know the routine: Lucy promises to hold the football for Charlie Brown as he attempts to kick it. But she pulls it away and he’s left flying in the air and lands flat on his back. Here’s a strip from 1988.

The closest Charlie Brown ever got to kicking the football was in 1979.
In a brief moment of compassion Lucy promised not to pull the football away once the then ailing Charlie Brown got out of the hospital.
For days, readers followed the story line and waited to see if Lucy kept her promise. They found out on August 2, 1979.
To find out if Charlie Brown kicked the football go to Comics.com