October 9

Scott Winters October 9, 2025 0 Comments

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1002 – Explorer Leif Erickson landed in America.

1701 – The Collegiate School of Connecticut was chartered in New Haven. The name was later changed to Yale.

1781 – The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War took place in Yorktown, VA. The American forces, led by George Washington, defeated the British troops under Lord Cornwallis.

1855 – Isaac Singer patented the sewing machine motor.

1855 – Joshua C. Stoddard received a patent for his calliope.

1858 – Mail service via stagecoach began between San Francisco, CA, and St. Louis, MO.

1872 – Aaron Montgomery started his mail order business with the delivery of the first mail order catalog. The firm later became Montgomery Wards.

1876 – Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson made their longest telephone call to date. It was a distance of two miles.

1888 – The Washington Monument was officially opened to the public.

1919 – The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series. The win would be later tainted when eight Chicago White Sox were charged with throwing the game. The incident became known as the “Black Sox” scandal.

1930 – After landing in Glendale, CA, aviator Laura Ingalls completed the first solo transcontinental flight across the U.S. by a woman

1936 – The first generator at Boulder Dam (which was later renamed Hoover Dam) began transmitting electricity 266 miles away to Los Angeles, CA.

1946 – The first electric blanket went on sale in Petersburg, VA.

1967 – Doc Severinsen became musical director of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”. He replaced Skitch Henderson.

1969 – In Chicago, IL, the National Guard was called in for crowd control when demonstrations continued in connection with the trial of the “Chicago Eight” that began on September 24th.

1975 – The band KISS visited Cadillac, MI, and participated in the homecoming parade and performed at the homecoming dance.

1985 – A 2½ acre garden memorial was dedicated to John Lennon by his widow Yoko Ono. The memorial was located in New York City’s Central Park is called Strawberry Fields.

1986 – Joan Rivers debuted on her own late night television talk show “The Late Show” on FOX.

1995 – An Amtrak Sunset Limited train was derailed by saboteurs near Palo Verde, AZ. One person was killed and a hundred were injured.

2000 – Brett Hull, of the Dallas Stars, scored his 611th National Hockey League goal. The goal allowed him to pass his father, Bobby Hull, on the all time scoring list bringing him to number 9.

2003 – The ride “Mission: Space” opened to the public in Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. The opening ceremony included several astronauts from all eras of space exploration.

2003 – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II knighted Roger Moore and made Sting a Commander of the British Empire.

2009 – NASA launched the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). On November 13, it was announced that water had been discovered in the planned impact plume on the moon.

2012 – Jerry Sandusky, the disgraced Penn State football coach, was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for molesting young boys.

2024 – Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, FL, as a Category 3 hurricane, causing $34.3 billion in damage only two weeks after Hurricane Helene impacted the state.

BIRTHDAYS:

Gordon J. Humphrey – 85 years old (1940) – Soldier, pilot, and politician

Brian Lamb – 84 years old (1941) – Broadcaster, founded C-SPAN

Trent Lott – 84 years old (1941) – Lawyer and politician

Mike Peters – 82 years old (1943) – Cartoonist

Nona Hendryx – 81 years old (1944) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Tony Zappone – 78 years old (1947) – Photographer and journalist

Jackson Browne – 77 years old (1948) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Brian Downing – 75 years old (1950) – Baseball player

Jody Williams – 75 years old (1950) – Academic and activist, Nobel Prize laureate

Robert Wuhl – 74 years old (1951) – Actor, comedian, and writer

Hank Pfister – 72 years old (1953) – Tennis player

Tony Shalhoub – 72 years old (1953) – Actor and producer

Scott Bakula – 71 years old (1954) – Actor

John O'Hurley – 71 years old (1954) – Actor and game show host

Don Garber – 68 years old (1957) – Businessman

Al Jourgensen – 67 years old (1958) – Cuban-American singer-songwriter and producer

Michael Paré – 67 years old (1958) – Actor

Mike Singletary – 67 years old (1958) – Football player and coach

Kenny Garrett – 65 years old (1960) – Saxophonist and composer

Kurt Neumann – 64 years old (1961) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Ellen Wheeler – 64 years old (1961) – Actress, director, and producer

Guillermo del Toro – 61 years old (1964) – Mexican-American director, producer, and screenwriter

Jimbo Fisher – 60 years old (1965) – Football player and coach

Kenny Anderson – 55 years old (1970) – Basketball player and coach

Steve Jablonsky – 55 years old (1970) – Composer

Steve Burns – 52 years old (1973) – Actor, television host and musician

Keith Booth – 51 years old (1974) – Basketball player and coach

Shmuel Herzfeld – 51 years old (1974) – Rabbi

Sean Lennon – 50 years old (1975) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor

William Alexander – 49 years old (1976) – Author and educator

Stephen Neal – 49 years old (1976) – Football player

Nick Swardson – 49 years old (1976) – Actor and comedian

Brian Roberts – 48 years old (1977) – Baseball player

Juan Dixon – 47 years old (1978) – Basketball player and coach

Vernon Fox – 46 years old (1979) – Football player and coach

Alex Greenwald – 46 years old (1979) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actor

Lecrae – 46 years old (1979) – Rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor

Brandon Routh – 46 years old (1979) – Model and actor

Zachery Ty Bryan – 44 years old (1981) – Actor

Darius Miles – 44 years old (1981) – Basketball player

Stephen Gionta – 42 years old (1983) – Ice hockey player

Spencer Grammer – 42 years old (1983) – Actress

David Plummer – 40 years old (1985) – Swimmer

Derek Holland – 39 years old (1986) – Baseball player

David Phelps – 39 years old (1986) – Baseball player

Craig Brackins – 38 years old (1987) – Basketball player

Henry Walker – 38 years old (1987) – Basketball player

Jake Lamb – 35 years old (1990) – Baseball player

Jerian Grant – 33 years old (1992) – Basketball player

Sam Mewis – 33 years old (1992) – Soccer player

Tyler James Williams – 33 years old (1992) – Actor

Lauren Davis – 32 years old (1993) – Tennis player

George Kittle – 32 years old (1993) – Football player

Scotty McCreery – 32 years old (1993) – Singer and songwriter

Wesley So – 32 years old (1993) – Filipino-American chess grandmaster

Jacob Batalon – 29 years old (1996) – Filipino-American actor

Bella Hadid – 29 years old (1996) – Model

Jharrel Jerome – 28 years old (1997) – Actor

Megan Moroney – 28 years old (1997) – Singer-songwriter

Penei Sewell – 25 years old (2000) – Football player

Ben Shelton – 23 years old (2002) – Tennis player

TODAY IS:

International Beer and Pizza Day: Pairing a frothy brew with a slice of heaven, creating a dynamic duet of refreshment and satisfaction that's hard to resist.
Curious Events Day: Dig your teeth into whatever makes you curious, whether it’s the world’s greatest mysteries of history, or where missing socks could possibly go.
World Egg Day: Have fun with egg-based meals, from scrambled eggs for breakfast to egg cake for dessert. Make use of eggs in other ways by decorating them with family.
National Moldy Cheese Day: It may sound gross, but many kinds of moldy cheese are actually a delicious delicacy. Be brave and try a sampling of long-aged, moldy, flavorful cheese.
Scrubs Day: Wear your pajamas to work…but not really. Scrubs Day is all about appreciating these comfortable work clothes, most common in healthcare fields.
Vet Nurse Day: Just as healthcare nurses take care of human patients, vet nurses are crucial to the health and happiness of our pets. Thank a vet nurse for their hard work.
World Post Day: Give your mailman a thank-you card or gift, and make use of this long-standing public service by sending a letter, package, or other mail the old-fashioned way.
PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day:
National C60 Day:
National Sneakers Day:
National Leif Erikson Day:
Fire Prevention Day: Develop a fire escape plan for your home, and practice it with your family or roommates to make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
National Manufacturing Week:
International Plasma Awareness Week:
Rtveli:
Baby Loss Awareness Week:
National Curry Week: Savor vibrant spices and rich blends, an aromatic dance on your palate, igniting a culinary journey of delight.
World Space Week:
International Cephalopod Awareness Days:
Celebrate Community Week:
National Midwifery Week:
National Spinning and Weaving Week:
Mental Illness Awareness Week:
Hispanic Heritage Month: Join an event, forum, or exhibition for Hispanic Heritage Month, and appreciate the art, history, and cultural offerings of this rich and expansive heritage.
National Dance Week:
Active Aging Week:
Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week: These superheroes of the hospital kitchen ensure patients receive delicious, nutritious meals, taking pride in boosting morale and recovery.
Fire Prevention Week: Head over to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) website to learn what you need to do to protect your home and community in case of a fire.