- 1814] Jose can you see: Francis Scott Key writes the 'Star-Spangled Banner', a poem originally called 'Defense of Fort McHenry'. Key had witnessed the British bombardment of the Maryland fort during the War of 1812 (9/14). The song would became our national anthem on March 3, 1931...
- 1901] "Happy Trails": President William McKinley dies of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. McKinley is succeeded by 42-year old Theodore Roosevelt (9/14)...1982] Monaco's Princess Grace a.k.a. Grace Kelly dies from injuries suffered when her car plunges off a mountain road one day earlier. The Princess was 52 (9/14)...1992] Actor Anthony Perkins succumbs to complications from AIDS at 60 (9/12)...1996] Rapper Tupac Shakur dies 6 days after being shot in a drive-by shooting. Tupac was 25 (9/13)...1998] Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace is a victim of Parkinson's disease at 79 (9/13)...2003] The legendary Johnny Cash dies of complications from diabetes at 71 (9/12)...
- 1953] Wedding Bells: Jacqueline Bouvier and Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy walk down the aisle at Hammersmith Farm in Newport (RI) (9/12)...
- 1954] Premiered on this date: "Lassie" comes to the rescue each week for 17 years on CBS-TV and then in syndication (9/12)...1959] "Bonanza" debuts on NBC-TV (9/12). The Ponderosa rocks until January, 1973...1966] "Family Affair" debuts on CBS-TV and will run until September, 1971 (9/12)...1966] "The Monkees" debuts on NBC-TV and runs for two years before airing reruns (9/12)...1990] "Law & Order" debuts on NBC-TV (9/13). It's still on...1993] "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" debuts on NBC-TV (9/13). Next year (2009) Conan replaces Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show"...
- 1960] Paying for what you're playing: The FCC adopts payola rules a.k.a. 'The Alan Freed Rules'. Freed and other disc jockeys were accused and in some cases fined and jailed for payola in the late 50s (9/13)...
- 1964] Oh Shea can you see?: The first football game is played at Shea Stadium with the Jets beating Denver 30-6 (9/12)...
- 1968] Record-breaking: Tigers pitcher Denny McLain becomes the first pitcher to win 30 games in 34 years (9/14). Denny finishes the season at 31-6. His career stats: 131-91...
- 1970] Marathon man: The first NYC Marathon is won by Freeport (LI) firefighter Gary Muhrcke (9/13). Only 175 runners compete with 55 finishing. That race consisted of 4 laps around Central Park with no TV coverage or prizes. The race now covers all 5 boroughs and the number of runners could fill Shea Stadium. The race is now run the first weekend in November...
- 1994] Strike Three - you're out: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig cancels the rest of the 1994 season after a strike continues after 34 days (9/14). No World Series will be played in 1994...
- 2001] Ground Zero: Limited commercial flights are restored for the first time since the 911 attacks (9/13)...Secretary of State Colin Powell names Osama bin Laden the prime suspect in the terrorist attacks of 911 (9/13)...Using a bullhorn, President George W. Bush tells those gathered at Ground Zero that we will get even for the attacks. On the same day, the FBI releases the names of the 19 suspected terrorists (9/14)...
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