What Happened On
Korean Air Lines Flight 007 Disaster
September 1, 1983
The South Korean airliner is shot down by a Soviet Su-15 interceptor killing all 269 aboard, including U.S. Congressman Larry McDonald and many Americans. The airliner was en route from Alaska to Seoul, when it deviated from its planned route and flew through Soviet prohibited airspace around the time of a U.S. aerial reconnaissance mission. The Soviet Air Force treated the unidentified aircraft as an intruding U.S. spy plane and proceeded to destroy it with air-to-air missiles after firing warning shots, which were likely not seen by the pilots. The Korean airliner eventually crashed in the Sea of Japan.
It is believed the aircraft deviated from its designated route because the crew placed the autopilot in the wrong mode of operation.
The Soviets found the wreckage under the sea on September 15, and found the flight recorders in October, but this information was kept secret until 1993.
This incident was a precipitating factor in another incident that almost led to World War III.
Germans tearing down the border crossing into Poland
Germans tearing down the border crossing into Poland
World War II Begins
September 1, 1939
Germany invades Poland, starting World War II. Great Britain and France would declare war on Germany two days later.
Passenger Pigeon Goes Extinct
September 1, 1914
What is believed to be the last living passenger pigeon dies at the Cincinnati Zoo. The last confirmed wild passenger pigeon was shot in 1901.
Passenger pigeons were hunted by Native Americans, but the hunting of the pigeons intensified in the 1800s after the arrival of Europeans, who commercialized their meat as cheap food. Widespread deforestation also contributed to their extinction.
The name passenger pigeon name is derived from the French word "passager", meaning "passing by", due to the migratory habits of the species.
Emma Nutt (left) and Emma and Stella alongside male operators
Emma Nutt (left) and Emma and Stella alongside male operators
First Woman Telephone Operator
September 1, 1878
Emma M. Nutt is hired is by Alexander Graham Bell for the Boston Telephone Dispatch Company. A few hours after Nutt started, her sister Stella became the world's second female telephone operator. Emma worked as a telephone operator for over 30 years.
To be hired as an operator, a woman had to be unmarried, between the ages of seventeen and twenty-six, and have arms long enough to reach the top of the tall telephone switchboard. At the time, African-American and Jewish women were not allowed to become operators.
First Cable Streetcar
September 1, 1873
Andrew Hallidie's cable streetcar begins regular service on Clay Street Hill, San Francisco.
Interior of an early Pullman Car
Interior of an early Pullman Car
First Pullman Sleeping Car
September 1, 1859
George Pullman introduces his sleeper on a train ride from Bloomington Illinois to Chicago. Although sleeper cars had been around since the 1830s, Pullman Cars were known for their luxury and comfort.
First Railroad Bridge Across the Mississippi River
September 1, 1854
The cornerstone is laid for a bridge between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. It was completed two years later.
First Arrest of a U.S. Vice-President
September 1, 1807
Former Vice-President Aaron Burr is acquitted of treason against the U.S. President Thomas Jefferson had ordered his arrest. Burr had previously served as vice president under Jefferson. Burr was accused of trying to create an independent country in the center of North America including the Southwestern U.S. and parts of Mexico. Burr claims he was just trying to farm 40,000 acres (160 km2) in the Texas Territory that had been leased to him by the Spanish Crown. He had organized an armed militia of about 60 men. Historians still debate Burr's true intentions.
During his vice-presidency in 1804, Burr killed former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
Robinson Crusoe
September 1, 1651
According to the book, the fictional character Robinson Crusoe embarks on his first sea voyage, from Hull to London. Daniel Defoe's story was based on the real-life adventures of Alexander Selkirk.
Hurricane Katrina - Heck of a Job Brownie
September 1, 2005
FEMA director Michael Brown states that he was unaware that people were trapped in the New Orleans Convention Center (Apparently he didn't have access to a TV set). The following day U.S. President George W. Bush would commend him on his performance, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
Office of Public Health
September 1, 1992
Office of Public Health in Jonesboro, Louisiana is closed due to rats.
Chess
September 1, 1992
Bobby Fischer spits on a Treasury Department letter informing him that his planned Yugoslavian chess match with Boris Spassky would be in violation of U.S. law.
Titanic by Willy Stöwer
Titanic by Willy Stöwer
The Titanic
September 1, 1985
The remains of the "unsinkable" RMS Titanic are located by ocean researchers. The Titanic sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York City.
Pioneer 2
September 1, 1979
Pioneer 2 flies past Saturn discovering an eleventh moon and two new rings.
Mark Spitz
September 1, 1972
Swimmer Mark Spitz wins the fourth and fifth of his seven 1972 Olympic gold medals. Seven was the most Olympic gold medals ever won by a single athlete in a single Olympiad up to that time. That record was broken by Michael Phelps in 2008.
Chess Match of the Century
September 1, 1972
Bobby Fischer becomes the first American to win the world chess championship when he defeats Boris Spassky of the USSR. He was the first American to compete in the tournament.
Photo Credit: Stevan Kragujević
Photo Credit: Stevan Kragujević
Libyan Arab Republic
September 1, 1969
The Libyan Arab Republic is proclaimed, after Muammar Gaddafi led a successful revolution against King Idris.
Clown College
September 1, 1968
The first U.S. school committed exclusively to training circus clowns is established in Venice, Florida by Irvin Feld of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College trained around 1,400 clowns in the "Ringling style" until its 1997 closing.
First U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship
September 1, 1946
Patty Berg wins the first U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship, winning $5,600 in war bonds. It was the only U.S. Women's Open to have been played in match play scoring.
1923 Great Kantō Earthquake
September 1, 1923
An earthquake destroys Tokyo and Yokohama, killing about 140,000 people. It had a magnitude of 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale. The ensuing tsunami with waves up to 33 ft (10 m) high struck the coast of Sagami Bay, Bōsō Peninsula, Izu Islands, and the east coast of Izu Peninsula within minutes. Over 570,000 homes were destroyed, leaving an estimated 1.9 million homeless.
First U.S. Municipal Subway
September 1, 1897
Boston's Tremont Street Subway opens to traffic. Construction had begun in 1895.
It is the oldest subway tunnel in North America and the third oldest still in use worldwide to exclusively use electric traction.
It now forms the central part of the Green Line, connecting Boylston Street to Park Street and Government Center stations.
First White Women to Cross the American Continent
September 1, 1836
Narcissa Prentiss Whitman and Eliza Hart Spalding, accompanied by their husbands, reach their destination - Fort Walla Walla, Washington.
Santa Fe Trail
September 1, 1822
Captain William Becknell departs from Arrow Rock, Missouri. He would arrive in Santa Fe, New Mexico on November 16 establishing a route more suited to wagons. This route became known as the Santa Fe Trail.
Birthdays
De Carlo as Lily Munster
De Carlo as Lily Munster
Yvonne De Carlo (Margaret Yvonne Middleton)
Born September 1, 1922 d. 2007
Canadian-born American actress. TV: The Munsters (1964-66, Lily Munster). Film: The Ten Commandments (1956, Moses' wife) and McLintock (1963, McLintock's housekeeper).
De Carlo's husband was injured while working as a stuntman in the John Wayne movie How the West Was Won (1963), resulting in the amputation of his leg. John Wayne offered her the role of his housekeeper in McLintock to help her out financially.
Creator of Tarzan
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Born September 1, 1875 d. 1950
American novelist. Creator of Tarzan (1914).
Gloria Estefan (Gloria Fajardo)
Born September 1, 1957
Cuban-born singer, with The Miami Sound Machine. Music: Anything For You (1988, #1) and Coming Out Of The Dark (1991, #1).
(top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb
(top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb
Barry Gibb
Born September 1, 1946
British-Australian singer, with the Bee Gees. Music: Stayin' Alive (1977) and Night Fever (1977, #1).
Lily Tomlin (Mary Jean Tomlin)
Born September 1, 1939
American actress, comedian. TV: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (the telephone operator and 5-year-old Edith Ann - and that's the truth, pthhhhh).
Conway Twitty (Harold Lloyd Jenkins)
Born September 1, 1933 d. 1993
American Grammy-winning country singer. Music: After The Fire is Gone (1971, Grammy). In 1982 he opened Twitty City, a nine-acre tourist attraction outside of Nashville.
Rocky Marciano (Rocco Francis Marchegiano)
Born September 1, 1923 d. 1969
Italian-American boxer. He was the undefeated (49-0) world heavyweight champion (1952-56). He is the only undefeated heavyweight champion.
Eleanor Hibbert
Born September 1, 1906 d. 1993
British historical novelist. Writings: Widow of Windsor and The Bride of Pendorric. Her books, written under names including Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, have sold over 100,000,000 copies.
Richard Arlen (Sylvanus Richard Mattimore)
Born September 1, 1899 d. 1976
American actor. Film: Star of the first Oscar-winning film (Wings, 1927).
Jimmy Hatlo
Born September 1, 1897 d. 1963
American cartoonist. Creator of They'll Do It Every Time (1929) and Little Iodine (1943).
Magnus Konow
Born September 1, 1887 d. 1972
Norwegian sailor. He tied the record for longest span of Olympic competition (40 years, 1908, 1912, 1920, 1928, 1936, 1948). He is one of only four athletes who have competed in the Olympics over a span of 40 years, along with fencer Ivan Joseph Martin Osiier, sailor Durward Knowles, and sailor Paul Elvstrøm.
James "Gentleman Jim" Corbett
Born September 1, 1866 d. 1933
American boxer. World heavyweight boxing champ (1892, the first to win under the Marquess of Queensberry rules). He is considered to be the first scientific boxer.
Engelbert Humperdinck
Born September 1, 1854 d. 1921
German composer. Opera: Hänsel and Gretel (1893).
Jim O'Rourke
Born September 1, 1850 d. 1919
American baseball player. He made the first hit of the first National League game (1876), for Boston.
Elizabeth Harrison
Born September 1, 1849 d. 1927
American educator. Leader in the U.S. kindergarten movement. She organized a series of annual conferences in Chicago (1890s), which led to the founding of what is today the National Parent Teachers Association (PTA).
Alfred Ely Beach
Born September 1, 1826 d. 1896
American inventor, publisher of Scientific American (1846 et seq.). He built New York City's first underground transit system (1870, A 10-passenger car that was pushed and pulled through a tunnel by a giant fan).
James Gordon Bennett Sr.
Born September 1, 1795 d. 1872
Scottish-born American publisher. Founder of The New York Herald (1835).
Deaths
First Black Person on Television
Ethel Waters
Died September 1, 1977 b. 1896
American actress, singer. She became the first black performer on television when NBC broadcast The Ethel Waters Show (1939). She was first black star of a TV dramatic series (1950-51, Beulah) and the first black actress nominated for an Emmy (1961, for an episode of Route 66). She was the second black actress nominated for an Academy Award. The song Stormy Weather was composed for her by Harold Arlen.
Toto with Judy Garland
Toto (Terry)
Died September 1, 1945 b. 1933
American female Cairn Terrier, actor. Toto of The Wizard of Oz (1939). Known for doing her own stunts, she broke a foot when she was accidentally stepped on by a Winkie guard during the filming of The Wizard of Oz. She appeared in 16 films, including as Rags in the Shirley Temple movie Bright Eyes (1934). Originally named Terry, she changed her name to Toto after the filming of The Wizard of Oz.
Jimmy Buffett
Died September 1, 2023 b. 1946
American singer, songwriter. His fans were commonly known as parrotheads. Music: Margaritaville (1977) and Cheeseburger in Paradise (1978).
Shelley Berman
Died September 1, 2017 b. 1925
American stand-up comic, popular in the 1950s and '60s. He was the first stand up comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall. TV: Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David's father).
Dean Jones
Died September 1, 2015 b. 1931
American singer, actor. Film: That Darn Cat (1965), The Love Bug (1968), and The Shaggy D.A. (1976).
Jerry Reed (Jerry Hubbard)
Died September 1, 2008 b. 1937
American Grammy-winning country musician, actor. Music: Lord, Mr. Ford (1973, #1) and She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft). Film: Smokey and the Bandit (1977).
Rand Brooks
Died September 1, 2003 b. 1918
American actor. TV: The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (Corporal Boone). Film: Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick Lucky Jenkins in 12 movies.
Charles Austin Beard
Died September 1, 1948 b. 1874
American historian, known for his economic interpretation of history, co-author with his wife of The Rise of American Civilization (1927).
William Clark
Died September 1, 1838 b. 1770
American soldier, explorer, governor of the Missouri Territory. He and Meriwether Lewis explored the American West (1804-06) establishing a route to the Pacific.
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné)
Died September 1, 1715 b. 1638
King of France (1643-1715), became king at the age of 5. His successor, great-grandson Louis XV, also became king at age 5.
Jacques Cartier
Died September 1, 1557 b. 1491
French explorer, discovered the St. Lawrence River (1534) and claimed possession of Canada for France.
Adrian IV
Died September 1, 1159 b. ????
English-born religious leader, 169th Pope (1154-59). He was the first English pope.