Today In History
September 8

Events

• 1771 - Mission San Gabriel Archangel forms in California


• 1847 - US under General Scott defeat Mexicans at Battle of Molino del Rey


• 1858 - Lincoln makes a speech about when you can fool people


• 1868 - New York Athletic Club forms


• 1892 - 1st appearance of "Pledge of Allegiance" (Youth's Companion)


• 1915 - Assn of Negro Life & History founded


• 1921 - 1st Miss America crowned (Margaret Gorman of Washington DC)


• 1921 - Mary Gorman (Washington DC), 16, crowned 1st Miss America [or 9/14]


• 1930 - New York City public schools begin teaching Hebrew


• 1930 - Richard Drew creates Scotch tape


• 1939 - Franklin D Roosevelt declares "limited national emergency" due to war in Europe


• 1968 - Saundra Williams wins 1st Mississippi Black America pageant


• 1971 - John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts opens in Washington DC


• 1973 - Rebecca Ann King (Colorado), 23, crowned 46th Miss America 1974


• 1974 - President Gerald Ford pardons former President R Nixon of all federal crimes


• 1975 - Boston begins court ordered busing of public schools


• 1979 - Cheryl Prewitt (Mississippi), 22, crowned 52nd Miss America 1980


• 1979 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site


• 1985 - "USA Weekend's" 1st issue, appears in 255 newspapers


• 1986 - Westinghouse sells Muzak


• 1990 - Ellis Island Historical Site opens on Ellis Island New York City


• 1994 - Last US, British & French troops leave West-Berlin

Baseball

• 1854 - With a 3-2 count, Phillies Richie Ashburn fouls next 14, then walks


• 1883 - New York Giants score 13 runs in an inning against Phillies


• 1905 - Pittsburgh Pirates strand NL record 18 men on base & lose to Reds 8-3


• 1919 - Babe Ruth hits his 26th HR off Jack Quinn in New York, breaking Buck Freeman's 1899 HR mark of 25


• 1937 - Yankees trailing 6-1 in 9th, score 8 to beat Boston 9-6


• 1939 - Indians Bob Feller, 20, is youngest pitcher to win 20 games


• 1939 - Yankees beat Red Sox 4-1 in 7, game called because of lightning


• 1943 - New York Giants' pitcher Ace Adams sets record by working in his 62nd game


• 1955 - Earliest clinching of an NL pennant (Brooklyn Dodgers)


• 1963 - Braves Warren Spahn ties Christy Mathewson with 13 20-win seasons


• 1965 - KC A's Bert Campaneris plays all 9 positions in a game


• 1972 - Chicago Cub Ferguson Jenkins wins his 20th game for 6th straight year


• 1973 - Billy Martin named manager of Texas Rangers


• 1973 - Hank Aaron sets record of most HRs in 1 league (709)


• 1978 - 2nd game of Boston Massacre; Yankees beat Red Sox 13-2


• 1980 - Bowie Kuhn suspends Ferguson Jenkins indefinitely due to drug arrest


• 1985 - Pete Rose ties Ty Cobb with 4,191 hits


• 1988 - NL president Bart Giamatti is unanimously elected baseball's 7th commish


• 1989 - George Brett gets his 2,500th hit


• 1992 - Danny Tartabull has 9 RBIs as Yankees beat Orioles 16-4


• 1993 - Baseball's proposed switch to a three-division format OKed in AL


• 1993 - Houston's Darryl Kile throws 3rd no-hitter of season in 7-1 over Mets


• 1995 - Cleveland Indians clinch 1st AL Central Division title

Football

• 1946 - San Francisco 49ers play 1st AAFC game, lose to New York Yankees 21-7


• 1991 - Buffalo Bill Jim Kelly passes for 6 touchdowns vs Pittsburgh(52-34)

Golf

• 1958 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Dallas Golf Open


• 1963 - Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Spokane Women's Golf Open


• 1968 - Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Pacific Ladies Golf Classic


• 1974 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Dallas Civitan Golf Open


• 1985 - Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Portland Ping Golf Championship


• 1991 - Michelle Estill wins Ping-Cellular One LPGA Golf Championship


• 1996 - Dottie Pepper wins Safeway LPGA title


• 1996 - Ping-Cellular One LPGA Golf Championship

Entertainment

• 1930 - 1st appearance of comic strip "Blondie"


• 1954 - Alan Freed leaves Cleveland to New York City for WINS radio


• 1956 - Harry Belafonte's album "Calypso," goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks


• 1958 - Paul Anka opens Asian tour in Tokyo


• 1966 - "Star Trek" premieres on NBC-TV


• 1966 - "That Girl" starring Marlo Thomas premieres on ABC-TV


• 1968 - "Funny Girl" with Barbra Striesand premieres


• 1977 - Jimmy McCullough quits Wings


• 1987 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation


• 1988 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation


• 1992 - Howard Stern Radio Show begins broadcasting in Dallas (KGEL-FM 97.1)


• 1994 - MTV awards feature newlyweds Michael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley


• 1996 - 48th Emmy Awards: ER, Dennis Franz & Kathy Baker wins

Trains Planes and Automobiles

• 1883 - Northern Pacific RR's last spike driven at Independence Creek, Montana


• 1920 - US Air Mail service begins (New York City to San Francisco)

Weather

• 1900 - 6,000 killed when a hurricane & tidal wave strikes Galveston, Texas


• 1965 - Hurricane Betsy kills 75 in Louisiana & Florida

Disasters

• 1900 - 6,000 killed when a hurricane & tidal wave strikes Galveston, Texas


• 1934 - Luxury passenger ship Morro Castle for New Jersey catches fire, 133 die


• 1965 - Hurricane Betsy kills 75 in Louisiana & Florida


• 1994 - USAir Boeing 737 crashes at Pittsburgh Airport, killing all 132 on board

Space

• 1967 - Surveyor 5 launched; makes soft landing on Moon Sept 10


• 1983 - NASA launches RCA-6


• 1984 - Challenger moves to Vandenberg AFB for mating of STS 41G mission


• 1985 - Discovery flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB

World War II

• 1939 - General Von Reichenaus pantzer division reaches suburbs of Warsaw


• 1941 - Blockade of Leningrad (St Petersburg) by Germany begins


• 1941 - Entire Jewish community of Meretsch, Lithuania is exterminated


• 1943 - Italy surrenders to Allies in WW II


• 1944 - 1st V-2 rockets land in London & Antwerp


• 1944 - Russians march into Bulgaria; Bulgaria declares war on Germany


• 1945 - US invades Japanese-held Korea

Cival War

• 1863 - Federal troops reconquer the Cumperland Gap, Tennessee


• 1863 - Battle of Sabine Pass Texas: 47 Texas volunteers repel Federal forces


• 1863 - Battle of Telford's Depot Tennessee

Birthdays

• 1157 - Richard I, [Richard the Lion Hearted], King of England (1189-99)


• 1207 - Sancho II, king of Portugal


• 1380 - Bernardinus of Siena, Italian saint


• 1474 - Ludovico Ariosto, Italy, poet (Orlando Furioso)


• 1588 - Marin Mersenne, France, mathematician/musician/philosopher (Cartesian)


• 1591 - Jacqueline M A de Sainte Madeleine Arnauld, French abbess


• 1672 - Nicolas de Grigny, composer


• 1736 - Bernardo Ottani, composer


• 1756 - Anton Teyber, composer


• 1767 - Karl August von Lichtenstein, composer


• 1774 - Anna K Emmerick/Emmerich, German poet


• 1779 - Johann Philipp Samuel Schmidt, composer


• 1779 - Mustafa IV, sultan of Turkey (1807-08)


• 1792 - Joseph Netherclift, composer


• 1815 - Alexander Ramsey, Gov (Union), died in 1903


• 1821 - Henry Baxter, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1873


• 1824 - Jaime Nuno, composer


• 1826 - Disma Fumagalli, composer


• 1827 - Emil Naumann, composer


• 1828 - Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)


• 1829 - George Crook, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1890


• 1829 - Seth Maxwell Barton, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1900


• 1831 - Wilhelm Raabe, [Jakob Corvinus], German author (Der Hungerpastor)


• 1854 - Willem M van Rossum, Dutch cardinal/prefect of Propaganda File


• 1863 - Gustavo Emilio Campa, composer


• 1865 - Adolfo Albertazzi, Italian writer (Amore & Amore, Top)


• 1870 - Hermann Hans Wetzler, composer


• 1873 - David O McKay, Huntsville, Utah, 9th pres of Mormon church


• 1873 - Max Reinhardt, Austria, theatrical director (Oedipus Rex)


• 1880 - Roelof Kranenburg, Dutch social democratic chairman (1st Chamber)


• 1886 - Siegfried L Sassoon, English poet/writer (Counterattack)


• 1888 - Louis Zimmer, Flemish clock maker (Jubelklok/Wonder Clock)


• 1889 - Robert A Taft, (Sen-R-Ohio, Taft-Hartley Act)


• 1894 - Willem FJ Pijper, Dutch composer/critic


• 1897 - Jimmie Rodgers, Mendoza Miss, country singer/singing brakeman


• 1898 - Queenie Smith, NYC, actress/dancer (Funny Side)


• 1900 - Claude D Pepper, (Rep-D-Florida, 1963- ), old people's advocate


• 1901 - Hendrik F Verwoerd, premier South Africa (1958-66) (assassinated)


• 1902 - Anthonie Donker, [Prof N Donkersloot], Dutch literary


• 1904 - Carlos Sanchez Malaga, composer


• 1905 - Henry Wilcoxon, actor (Cleopatra, Jericho, 10 Commandments)


• 1906 - Andrei P Kirilenko, Russian member of Central Committee of CP


• 1907 - Buck O'Neil, Old Negro League Baseball player


• 1907 - Gavin Muir, Chicago Illinois, actor (Hollister-Betty Hutton Show)


• 1907 - Leon Askin, Vienna Austria, actor (Pierre-Charlie Farrell Show)


• 1907 - Sid Tomack, actor (Life of Riley)


• 1908 - Geoffrey Hodges, bomb disposal expert


• 1910 - Gella Allaert, Flemish actress (La Round)


• 1910 - Jean-Louis Barrault, Vesinet France, actor (Les Enfants du Paradis)


• 1912 - Alexander Mackendrick, Boston, director (Man in the White Suit, Mandy)


• 1912 - Leo Cherne, NYC, economist/commentator (All Star News)


• 1914 - Dimitrios I, patriarch (primus interparis orthodox Christians)


• 1914 - Hillary Brooke, Abbott & Costello's neighbor (Hillary)


• 1915 - Frank Cady, actor (Mr Drucker-Green Acres)


• 1918 - Derek Barton, British chemist (Nobel 1969)


• 1918 - John F Seiberling, (Rep-D-Ohio, 1971-86)


• 1919 - David Johan Kvandal, composer


• 1919 - Richard Pool, naval Officer


• 1921 - Hans Ulrich Engelmann, German composer (Ophelia)


• 1921 - Harry Secombe, Swansea Wales, actor (Down Among the "Z" Men)


• 1922 - Lyndon LaRouche, American presidental candidate (1980)


• 1922 - Sid Caesar, Yonkers New York, comedian (Your Show of Shows)


• 1923 - Alan Weeks, sports commentator


• 1923 - Hillevi Lagerstam, Kurikka Finland


• 1924 - Wendell H Ford, (Sen-D-Kentucky, 1974- )


• 1925 - Alexander Nikolayevich Kholminov, composer


• 1925 - Denise Darcel, Paris France, actress (Dangerous When Wet)


• 1925 - Heinz Lau, composer


• 1925 - Magnus Blondal Johansson, composer


• 1925 - Peter Sellers, England, actor (not now, Kato, Bobo, Pink Panther)


• 1929 - Severn Darden, actor (Popesco-Mary Hartman)


• 1930 - Emilio Azcarraga Milmo, media tycoon


• 1930 - Jeanette Altwegg, England, figure skater (Olympic-gold-1952)


• 1930 - Mario Adorf, Zurich Switzerland, actor (Bachelor, Abyssinia)


• 1932 - Patsy Cline, Winchester Virginia, country singer (Crazy)


• 1933 - Eric Salzman, composer


• 1934 - Peter Maxwell Davies, Manchester Engld, composer (Prolation, Taverner)


• 1935 - James Clay, saxophonist


• 1937 - Virna Lisi, Italy, actress (Assault on a Queen, Bluebeard)


• 1938 - Sam A Nunn, (Sen-D-Georgia, 1972- )


• 1940 - Willie Tyler, Red Level Alabama, ventriloquist (Lester)


• 1941 - Alan Feinstein, NYC, actor (Max-Berrengers, Family Tree)


• 1941 - Bernard Sanders, (Rep-R-Vermont)


• 1941 - Dante Drowty, rocker


• 1942 - Brian Cole, Tacoma Wash, rock vocalist/bassist (Association)


• 1942 - Nancy Ann Dibble, Netherlands, sci-fi author (Summerfair)


• 1942 - Sal Valentino, rocker


• 1945 - Jose Feliciano, rocker


• 1945 - Kelly Groucutt, rocker


• 1945 - Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, California, rocker (Grateful Dead, Grass Roots)


• 1946 - Dean Daughtry, rock keyboardist (Atlanta Rhythm Section)


• 1947 - Amos Biwott, Uasin Gishee Kenya, 3K steeplechaser (Oly-gold-1968)


• 1947 - Ann Beattie, Wash DC, short story writer (NYer Magazine)


• 1948 - Great Kabuki, [Akihisa Yone Yoshi Mera], wrestler (NWA/NJPW/WAR/SWS)


• 1948 - Kathy Hite-James, LPGA golfer


• 1948 - Lynn/Marilyn [Lorraine] Abbey, US, sci-fi author (Black Flame)


• 1950 - Daniel Victor Starr, composer


• 1950 - Will Lee, rock guitarist (Late Show with David Letterman)


• 1951 - Mark McCumber, golfer


• 1951 - Randy T Odle, Port Arthur Texas, astronaut


• 1951 - Timothy Gullikson, tennis player/coach (Pete Sampras)


• 1951 - Tom Gullikson, Wisc, tennis player (US mixed Doubles 1984)


• 1954 - Clayton Norcross, actor (Bold & Beautiful, Colbys, Santa Barbara)


• 1956 - Maurice Cheeks, NBA guard (New York Knicks, Philadelphia '76ers)


• 1957 - Heather Thomas, Greenwich Connecticut, actress (Jody-Fall Guy, Coed Fever)


• 1957 - Melissa Whitmire, LPGA golfer


• 1958 - David Lewis, guitarist (Atlantic Star-Touch a 4 Leaf Clover)


• 1960 - Stefano Casiraghi, husband of princess Caroline of Monaco


• 1961 - Franny Michel, Brooklyn New York, actress (Patricia-Apple's Way)


• 1963 - Gerald Williams, NFL defensive end (Carolina Panthers)


• 1964 - Steffan Peters, equestrian dressage (Olympics-bronze-96)


• 1965 - Barbra Fontana Harris, Manhattan Beach California, volleyballer (Oly-4th-96)


• 1966 - Mike Dyer, Upland California, pitcher (Montreal Expos)


• 1966 - Raymond Atteveld, Belgian soccer player (Waregem, Roda JC)


• 1967 - Brett Winslow, Santa Barbara California, volleyball middle blocker (Oly-96)


• 1970 - Clarence Weatherspoon, NBA forward (Philadelphia 76ers)


• 1970 - Tomur Barnes, NFL cornerback (Houston Oilers)


• 1971 - Cristy Thom, Los Angeles California, playmate (Feb, 1991)


• 1971 - David Merritt, NFL outside linebacker (Arizona Cardinals)


• 1971 - Greg Minor, NBA guard (Boston Celtics)


• 1971 - Henry Thomas, San Antonio Texas, actor (ET)


• 1971 - Jan Pardavy, hockey forward (Team Slovakia)


• 1972 - David Arquette, actor (Scream, Scream 2, Kiss & Tell)


• 1973 - Bob Wolcott, Huntington Beach California, pitcher (Seattle Mariners)


• 1973 - Jason Downs, actor (Bobby-Hairspray)


• 1975 - Elena Likhovtseva, Alma-Ata Kazakhstan, tennis star


• 1975 - John Thomas, NBA forward (Boston Celtics)


• 1976 - Sjeng Schalken, Weert Neth, tennis star


• 1977 - Maria Helena Selin, ice hockey right wing (Finland, Oly-98)


• 1978 - Marco Sturm, Dingolfing GER, NHL forward (Sharks, Team Germany 1998)


• 1981 - Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Bethlehem Pennsylvania, actor (Randy-Home Improvement)

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