On this day in
1741,
George Frideric Handel completes his oratorio
Messiah. It's magnificent.
***
On this day in
1752, the British Empire adopts the Gregorian calendar, skipping eleven days (the previous day was September 2).
***
On this day in
1763, Seneca warriors defeat British forces at the Battle of Devil's Hole during Pontiac's War.
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On this day in
1814, the poem
Defence of Fort McHenry is written by
Francis Scott Key. The poem is later used as the lyrics of
The Star-Spangled Banner.
***
On this day in
1901, President of the United States
William McKinley dies after an assassination attempt on September 6, and is succeeded by
Theodore Roosevelt.
***
On this day in
1959 the Soviet probe Luna 2 crashes onto the Moon, becoming the first man-made object to reach it.
***
On this day in
1960, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries -
OPEC - is founded.
***
On this day in
1984, the first ever
MTV Music Video Awards hit the airwaves. In a bold move, the still-wet-behind-the-ears music video channel hires two edgy young up-and-comers to host the show:
Bette Midler and
Dan Aykroyd! I shit you not.
***
On this day in 1987, the Toronto Blue Jays set a record for the most home runs in a single game, hitting 10 of them.
***
On this day in
1994, the Major League Baseball season is canceled because of a strike.
***
On this day in
1995, the half-artistic, half-scientific
Body Worlds exhibit opens in Tokyo, Japan, showcasing real corpses in various degrees of discombobulation and positioning. It’s pretty gross, and hugely popular during its round-the-world tour.
***
On this day, two fabulously wealthy and popular ladies die in two utterly spectacular automobile accidents. Firstly, in
1927, dancer
Isadora Duncan's scarf gets caught in her car wheel, breaking her neck and nearly decapitating her. Second, in
1982,
Princess Grace Kelly drives off a cliff in Monaco. And yet, despite all this carnage, America's love-affair with the horseless carriage continues unabated.
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