Events

• 622 – Prophet Muhammad completes his hijra from Mecca to Medina.

• 1180 – Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration dies. The Byzantine Empire slips into terminal decline.

• 1645 – Battle of Rowton Heath, Parliamentarian victory over a Royalist army commanded in person by King Charles

• 1664 – The Dutch Republic surrenders New Amsterdam to England.

• 1674 – Second Tantrik Coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

• 1780 – Benedict Arnold flees to British Army lines when the arrest of British Major John André exposes Arnold's plot to surrender West Point.

• 1789 – The United States Congress passed a Judiciary Act that provided an attorney general and The Supreme Court.

• 1789 – The United States Post Office Department, are established.

• 1841 – The Sultan of Brunei cedes Sarawak to Britain.

• 1852 – The first airship powered by (a steam) engine, created by Henri Giffard, travels 17 miles (27 km) from Paris to Trappes.

• 1869 – "Black Friday": Gold prices plummet after Ulysses S. Grant orders the Treasury to sell large quantities of gold after Jay Gould and James Fisk plot to control the market.

• 1877 – Battle of Shiroyama, decisive victory of the Imperial Japanese Army over the Satsuma Rebellion

• 1890 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially renounces polygamy.

• 1906 – U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims Devils Tower in Wyoming as the nation's first National Monument.

• 1928 – Major riot during a wharf strike in Port Adelaide involving up 4,000 waterside workers

• 1935 – Earl Bascom and Weldon Bascom produce the first rodeo ever held outdoors under electric lights at Columbia, Mississippi

• 1946 – Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong.

• 1947 – The Majestic 12 committee is allegedly established by secret executive order of President Harry Truman

• 1948 – The Honda Motor Company is founded.

• 1950 – Forest fires black out the sun over portions of Canada and New England. A Blue moon (in the astronomical sense) is seen as far away as Europe.

• 1957 – Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is opened in Barcelona.

• 1957 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends 101st Airborne Division troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce desegregation.

• 1962 – United States court of appeals orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith.

• 1968 – 60 Minutes debuts on CBS

• 1973 – Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.

• 1979 – Compu-Serve launches the first consumer internet service, which features the first public electronic mail service.

• 1990 – Periodic Great White Spot observed on Saturn

• 1992 – USA Networks launches the Sci Fi Channel

• 1994 – National League for Democracy is formed by Aung San Suu Kyi and various others to help fight against dictatorship in Myanmar.

• 1996 – U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.

• 2005 – Hurricane Rita makes landfall in the United States, devastating Beaumont, Texas and portions of southwestern Louisiana.

Births

• 15 – Vitellius, Roman Emperor (d. 69)

• 1301 – Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford, English soldier (d. 1372)

• 1501 – Gerolamo Cardano, Italian mathematician (d. 1576)

• 1513 – Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Sweden (d. 1535)

• 1534 – Guru Ram Das, fourth Sikh Guru (d. 1581)

• 1564 – William Adams, British navigator (d. 1620)

• 1583 – Albrecht von Wallenstein, Austrian general (d. 1634)

• 1625 – Johan de Witt, Dutch politician (d. 1672)

• 1705 – Leopold Josef Graf Daun, Austrian field marshal (d. 1766)

• 1717 – Horace Walpole, British novelist and politician (d. 1797)

• 1725 – Sir Arthur Guinness, Irish brewer (d. 1803)

• 1739 – Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin, Russian statesman (d. 1791)

• 1755 – John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1835)

• 1801 – Mikhail Vasilievich Ostrogradsky, Ukrainian scientist (d. 1862)

• 1802 – Adolphe d'Archiac, French paleontologist and geologist (d. 1868)

• 1817 – Ramón de Campoamor y Campoosorio, Spanish poet and philosopher (d. 1901)

• 1829 – Charles S. West, Texas jurist and politician (d. 1885)

• 1858 – Eugene Foss, 45^th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1939)

• 1870 – Georges Claude, French chemist and inventor (d. 1960)

• 1871 – Lottie Dod, English athlete (d. 1960)

• 1878 – C. F. Ramuz, Swiss writer (d. 1947)

• 1880 – Sarah Knauss, Oldest lived American ever (d. 1999)

• 1884 – Gustave Garrigou, French cyclist (d. 1963)

• 1884 – Hugo Schmeisser, German weapons designer (d. 1953)

• 1890 – Mike González, baseball player (d. 1977)

• 1890 – A. P. Herbert, British humorist, barrister, novelist (d. 1971)

• 1892 – Adélard Godbout, premier of Québec (d. 1956)

• 1894 – Tommy Armour, Anglo-American golfer (d. 1968)

• 1895 – André Frédéric Cournand, French Nobel Laureate (d. 1988)

• 1896 – F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist (d. 1940)

• 1898 – Howard Walter Florey, Nobel Laureate (d. 1968)

• 1899 – Sir William Dobell, Australian portrait artist (d. 1970)

• 1900 – Ham Fisher, American cartoonist (d. 1955)

• 1902 – Ruhollah Khomeini, Iranian Islamic religious leader and politician (d. 1989)

• 1905 – Severo Ochoa, Nobel Laureate (d. 1993)

• 1906 – Leonard Marsh, Canadian social scientist and professor (d. 1982)

• 1909 – Gerard Ciołek, Polish architect (d. 1966)

• 1910 – Jean Servais, Belgian actor (d. 1976)

• 1911 – Konstantin Chernenko, Soviet premier (d. 1985)

• 1912 – Don Porter, American actor (d. 1997)

• 1913 – Herb Jeffries, American jazz singer

• 1914 – Sir John Kerr, 18th Governor-General of Australia (d. 1991)

• 1918 – Audra Lindley, American actress (d. 1997)

• 1919 – Dayton Allen, American actor and comedian (d. 2004)

• 1920 – Richard Bong, American ace fighter pilot and Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1945)

• 1921 – Jim McKay, American sportscaster (d. 2008)

• 1922 – Cornell MacNeil, American baritone

• 1923 – Louis Edmonds, American actor (d. 2001)

• 1923 – Fats Navarro, American jazz trumpet player (d. 1950)

• 1924 – Nina Bocharova, Soviet gymnast

• 1924 – Theresa Merritt, American actress (d. 1998)

• 1924 – Sheila MacRae, singer & actress

• 1925 – Autar Singh Paintal, Indian medical scientist (d. 2004)

• 1927 – Alfredo Kraus, Spanish tenor (d. 1999)

• 1929 – Edward M. Lawson, Canadian politician

• 1930 – Józef Krupiński, Polish poet (d. 1998)

• 1930 – Angelo Muscat, Maltese actor (d. 1977)

• 1930 – John W. Young, American astronaut

• 1931 – Anthony Newley, British actor and singer (d. 1999)

• 1931 – Mike Parkes, British Formula One driver (d. 1977)

• 1932 – Dominique Michel, Canadian comedian

• 1933 – Raffaele Cardinal Farina, Archivist of the Holy Roman Church

• 1934 – Tommy Anderson, Scottish footballer

• 1934 – John Brunner, British author (d. 1995)

• 1934 – Manfred Wörner, German politician and diplomat (d. 1994)

• 1935 – Sean McCann, Canadian actor

• 1936 – Jim Henson, American puppeteer (d. 1990)

• 1940 – Yves Navarre, French writer (d. 1994)

• 1941 – Linda McCartney, American singer, fashion designer and photographer (d. 1998)

• 1941 – John Mackey, football player

• 1942 – Ilkka "Danny" Lipsanen, Finnish singer

• 1942 – Gerry Marsden, English singer (Gerry & The Pacemakers)

• 1944 – Diana Körner, German actress

• 1945 – Lou Dobbs, American journalist and television anchor

• 1946 – "Mean" Joe Greene, American football player

• 1946 – Lars Emil Johansen, Prime Minister of Greenland

• 1947 – Erik Hivju, Norwegian actor

• 1948 – Heinz Chur, German composer

• 1948 – Gordon Clapp, American actor

• 1948 – Phil Hartman, Canadian actor (d. 1998)

• 1950 – Alan Colmes, American talk show host

• 1950 – Mohinder Amarnath, Indian cricketer

• 1950 – Kristina Wayborn, Swedish actress

• 1951 – Pedro Almodóvar, Spanish filmmaker

• 1951 – Douglas Kmiec, American legal scholar

• 1952 – Mark Sandman, American musician (d. 1999)

• 1955 – Riccardo Illy, Italian politician

• 1956 – Hubie Brooks, American baseball player

• 1957 – Wolfgang Wolf, German footballer and manager

• 1957 – Tod Howarth, American rock musician

• 1958 – Kevin Sorbo, American actor

• 1959 – Steve Whitmire, American voice actor

• 1961 – Allen Bestwick, Nascar broadcaster

• 1961 – John Logan, American screenwriter

• 1962 – Jack Dee, British comedian

• 1962 – Rosamund Kwan, Hong Kong actress

• 1962 – Ally McCoist, Scottish footballer

• 1962 – Mike Phelan, English footballer

• 1962 – Nia Vardalos, Canadian actress

• 1964 – Rafael Palmeiro, Cuban-born baseball player

• 1965 – Sean McNabb, American bassist (Quiet Riot, Great White, Rough Cutt, House of Lords)

• 1965 – Janet Weiss, American drummer (Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks)

• 1966 – Stacy Galina, American actress

• 1966 – Bernard Gilkey, American baseball player

• 1966 – Michael J. Varhola, American author

• 1969 – Shawn Crahan, American musician (Slipknot)

• 1969 – Shamim Sarif, English novelist and filmmaker

• 1969 – Paul Ray Smith, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2003)

• 1969 – DeVante Swing, American music producer

• 1969 – Goya Toledo, Spanish actress and model

• 1969 – Megan Ward, American actress

• 1971 – Michael S. Engel, American paleontologist and entomologist

• 1971 – Mike Michalowicz, American author and entrepreneur

• 1971 – Kevin Millar, American baseball player

• 1971 – Peter Salisbury, English drummer (The Verve)

• 1973 – Eddie George, American football player

• 1973 – Rodrick Rhodes, American basketball player

• 1974 – John McDonald, American baseball player

• 1975 – Mike Gallay, Canadian comedian and filmmaker

• 1975 – Kyle Turley, American football player

• 1976 – Carlos Almeida, Angolan basketball player

• 1976 – Stephanie McMahon, American professional wrestler

• 1977 – Frank Fahrenhorst, German footballer

• 1978 – Wietse van Alten, Dutch archer

• 1979 – Fábio Aurélio, Brazilian footballer

• 1979 – Justin Bruening, American actor

• 1979 – Katja Kassin, German pornographic actress

• 1979 – Kim Jong Min, Korean singer

• 1979 – Jenny Platt, English Actress

• 1979 – Ross Mathews, American television personality and comedian

• 1980 – Daniele Bennati, Italian road racing cyclist

• 1980 – Dean Canto, Australian racing driver

• 1980 – Sabrine Maui, Filipino pornographic actress

• 1980 – Petri Pasanen, Finnish footballer

• 1980 – John Arne Riise, Norwegian footballer

• 1981 – Ryan Briscoe, Australian racing driver

• 1981 – Drew Gooden, American basketball player

• 1982 – Morgan Hamm, American gymnast

• 1982 – Paul Hamm, American gymnast

• 1982 – Jeff Karstens, American baseball player

• 1983 – Randy Foye, American basketball player

• 1984 – Szilvia Molnar, Swedish writer

• 1985 – Jessica Lucas, Canadian actress

• 1986 – Leah Dizon, American model and singer

• 1987 – Spencer Treat Clark, American actor

• 1988 – Karl Alzner, Canadian ice hockey player

• 1988 – Kyle Sullivan, American actor

Deaths

• 366 – Pope Liberius

• 768 – Pippin the Short, King of the Franks (b. 714)

• 1054 – Hermannus Contractus, scholar (b. 1013)

• 1120 – Welf II, Duke of Bavaria (b. 1072)

• 1143 – Agnes of Germany, daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1072)

• 1143 – Pope Innocent II

• 1180 – Manuel I Comnenus, Greek Byzantine Emperor (b. 1118)

• 1213 – Gertrude of Merania, wife of Andrew II of Hungary (murdered) (b. 1185)

• 1218 – Robert of Knaresborough, hermit (b. 1160)

• 1275 – Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Constable of England (b. 1208)

• 1435 – Isabeau of Bavaria, wife of Charles VI of France (b. c.1370)

• 1494 – Poliziano, Italian humanist (b. 1454)

• 1541 – Paracelsus, Swiss alchemist (b. 1493)

• 1545 – Albert of Mainz, archbishop and elector of Mainz (b. 1490)

• 1605 – Manuel Mendes, Portuguese composer (b. c.1547)

• 1621 – Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, Polish military commander (b. 1560)

• 1646 – Duarte Lobo, Portuguese composer (b. c.1565)

• 1707 – Vincenzo da Filicaja, Italian poet (b. 1642)

• 1732 – Emperor Reigen of Japan (b. 1654)

• 1742 – Johann Matthias Hase, German scientist (b. 1684)

• 1802 – Alexander Radishchev, Russian writer (b. 1749)

• 1834 – Pedro I of Brazil, Emperor of Brazil (b. 1798)

• 1892 – Patrick Gilmore, Irish-American composer (b. 1829)

• 1896 – Louis De Geer, 1st Swedish Prime Minister (b. 1818)

• 1904 – Niels Ryberg Finsen, Danish physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1860)

• 1929 – Prince Mahidol of the Kingdom of Thailand (b. 1892)

• 1930 – William A. MacCorkle, Governor of West Virginia (b. 1857)

• 1933 – Mike Donlin, American baseball player (b. 1878)

• 1933 – Alice Muriel Williamson, British novelist (b. 1869)

• 1938 – Lev Schnirelmann, Russian mathematician (b. 1900)

• 1939 – Carl Laemmle, German-born American film producer (b. 1867)

• 1945 – Hans Geiger, German physicist (b. 1882)

• 1948 – Warren William, American actor (b. 1894)

• 1950 – Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (b. 1863)

• 1954 – Edward Pilgrim, British suicide hastened by bureaucracy (b. 1904)

• 1962 – Charles Reisner, American silent actor and film director (b. 1887)

• 1975 – Earle Cabell, Texas politician (b. 1906)

• 1978 – Hasso von Manteuffel, German army general and politician (b. 1897)

• 1981 – Patsy Kelly, American actress (b. 1910)

• 1982 – Sarah Churchill, British actress and the daughter of Winston Churchill (b. 1914)

• 1984 – Neil Hamilton, American actor (b. 1899)

• 1991 – Dr. Seuss, American children's writer (b. 1904)

• 1991 – Peter Bellamy, British folk singer (b. 1944)

• 1993 – Bruno Pontecorvo, Italian physicist (b. 1913)

• 1993 – Ian Stuart Donaldson, British musician (b. 1957)

• 1996 – Zeki Müren, Turkish musician (b. 1931)

• 1998 – Jeff Moss, American puppeteer (b. 1942)

• 2002 – Youssouf Togoïmi, Chadian rebel (b. 1953)

• 2002 – Mike Webster, American football player (b. 1952)

• 2003 – Rosalie Allen, American singer and disc jockey (b. 1924)

• 2003 – Lyle Bettger, American actor (b. 1915)

• 2004 – Françoise Sagan, French writer (b. 1935)

• 2005 – Tommy Bond, American actor (b. 1926)

• 2006 – Michael Ferguson, Irish politician (b. 1953)

• 2008 – Mickey Vernon, American baseball player (b. 1918)

• 2009 – Susan Atkins, American murderer (b. 1948)

Holidays and observances

• Late Roman Empire – start of the indiction year (at least since the time of Bede).

• In ancient Latvia, the third day of Mikeli, and the only day of the year during which men proposed to their prospective wives.

• Catholic Calendar: Our Lady of Mercy and Our Lady of Walsingham.

• Also see September 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics).

• Guinea-Bissau – Independence Day (declared, from Portugal, 1973).

• New Caledonia – Territorial Day.

• England – Our Lady of Walsingham.

• South Africa – Heritage Day.

• Barcelona, Spain – La Mercè the festival for Barcelona's patron saint. A lot of art and musical activities.

• Trinidad and Tobago – Republic Day (1976).

• French Republican Calendar – Châtaigne (Chestnut) Day, third day in the Month of Vendémiaire.

• Kings Day – Celebrating Birthday of Rajadhiraja, Sriraj.

• Feast day of Rupert of Salzburg in the Roman Catholic Church, Holiday in Salzburg.