September 21

Scott Winters September 21, 2025 1 Comment

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:

1784 – The first daily paper in America, “The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser”, was published for the first time in Philadelphia, PA.

1897 – The New York Sun ran the “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.

1937 – “The Hobbit”, a fantasy novel by British professor J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published.

1948 – Milton Berle debuted as the host of the television show “The Texaco Star Theater” on NBC. The show was later renamed “The Milton Berle Show” with Berle being the regular host until 1967.

1957 – The television series “Perry Mason” made its debut on CBS. The show was on for 9 years.

1966 – The Soviet probe Zond 5 returned to Earth. The spacecraft completed the first unmanned round-trip flight to the moon.

1970 – “NFL Monday Night Football” made its debut on ABC. The game was between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns beat the Jets 31-21.

1973 – Henry Kissinger was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become 56th Secretary of State. He became the first naturalized citizen to hold that office.

1981 – The U.S. Senate confirmed Sandra Day O’Connor to be the first female Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

1982 – The National Football League players began a 57-day strike. It was their first regular-season walkout.

1989 – The Senate Armed Forces Committee unanimously confirmed General Colin Powell to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1998 – The TV show “Will & Grace” debuted on NBC.

1998 – President Bill Clinton’s videotaped grand jury testimony was publicly broadcast. Clinton tussled with prosecutors over “the truth of my relationship” with Monica Lewinsky.

2001 – A multi-network broadcast of “America: A Tribute to Heroes”, was a fundraising telethon for the victims of September 11th. Appearing on the tribute were Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Calista Flockhart, Kelsey Grammer, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Will Smith, Brad Pitt and Robin Williams. It was broadcast on over 35 network and cable channels and raised over $200 million.

2003 – The Galileo robot spacecraft mission was terminated at the end of it’s eight-year mission by sending the probe into Jupiter’s atmosphere, where it was crushed by the pressure at the lower altitudes.

2011 – Google’s new social network service, “Google+”, was released to the public.

2012 – The iPhone 5 was released.

BIRTHDAYS:

Don Preston – 93 years old (1932) – Keyboard player and composer

Dick Simon – 92 years old (1933) – Race car driver

Dickey Lee – 89 years old (1936) – Pop-country singer-songwriter and guitarist

Diane Rehm – 89 years old (1936) – Journalist and radio host

Doug Moe – 87 years old (1938) – Basketball player and coach

Bill Kurtis – 85 years old (1940) – Journalist and producer

R. James Woolsey – 84 years old (1941) – Jr. , American scholar and diplomat, 16th Director of Central Intelligence

Sam McDowell – 83 years old (1942) – Baseball player

David Hood – 82 years old (1943) – Session bassist and trombone player

Jerry Bruckheimer – 82 years old (1943) – Film and television producer

Steve Beshear – 81 years old (1944) – Lawyer and politician, 61st Governor of Kentucky

Fannie Flagg – 81 years old (1944) – Actress, comedian, and author

Richard Childress – 80 years old (1945) – Race car driver and businessman

Kay Ryan – 80 years old (1945) – Poet and educator

Don Felder – 78 years old (1947) – Musician and songwriter

Stephen King – 78 years old (1947) – Author and screenwriter

Marsha Norman – 78 years old (1947) – Playwright and author

Artis Gilmore – 76 years old (1949) – Basketball player and radio host

Bill Murray – 75 years old (1950) – Actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter

Bruce Arena – 74 years old (1951) – Soccer player and manager

Thomas S. Ray – 71 years old (1954) – Ecologist and academic

Richard Hieb – 70 years old (1955) – Engineer and astronaut

Jack Givens – 69 years old (1956) – Basketball player and sportscaster

Marta Kauffman – 69 years old (1956) – Screenwriter and producer

Ricky Morton – 69 years old (1956) – Wrestler

Ethan Coen – 68 years old (1957) – Director, producer, and screenwriter

Mark Levin – 68 years old (1957) – Lawyer, radio host, and author

Sidney Moncrief – 68 years old (1957) – Basketball player and coach

Rick Mahorn – 67 years old (1958) – Basketball player and coach

Dave Coulier – 66 years old (1959) – Actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter

Danny Cox – 66 years old (1959) – English-American baseball player and coach

David James Elliott – 65 years old (1960) – Canadian-American actor and director

Kelley Eskridge – 65 years old (1960) – Author and screenwriter

Nancy Travis – 64 years old (1961) – Actress and producer

Rob Morrow – 63 years old (1962) – Actor

Cecil Fielder – 62 years old (1963) – Baseball player and manager

Cheryl Hines – 60 years old (1965) – Actress

Faith Hill – 58 years old (1967) – Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Ricki Lake – 57 years old (1968) – Actress, producer, and talk show host

Jason Christiansen – 56 years old (1969) – Baseball player

Billy Porter – 56 years old (1969) – Actor and singer

Rob Benedict – 55 years old (1970) – Actor, screenwriter, and musician

Melissa Ferrick – 55 years old (1970) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist

Samantha Power – 55 years old (1970) – Irish-American journalist, academic, and diplomat, 28th United States Ambassador to the United Nations

Alfonso Ribeiro – 54 years old (1971) – Actor, director, and comedian

Luke Wilson – 54 years old (1971) – Actor, director, and screenwriter

Jon Kitna – 53 years old (1972) – Football player and coach

Vanessa Grigoriadis – 52 years old (1973) – Journalist and author

Bryce Drew – 51 years old (1974) – Basketball player and coach

Doug Davis – 50 years old (1975) – Baseball player

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

Autumn Reeser – 45 years old (1980) – Actress

Nicole Richie – 44 years old (1981) – Actress, fashion designer, and author

Scott Evans – 42 years old (1983) – Actor

Maggie Grace – 42 years old (1983) – Actress

Greg Jennings – 42 years old (1983) – Football player

Joseph Mazzello – 42 years old (1983) – Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Reggie Nelson – 42 years old (1983) – Football player

Dwayne Bowe – 41 years old (1984) – Football player

Ahna O'Reilly – 41 years old (1984) – Actress

Ben Wildman-Tobriner – 41 years old (1984) – Swimmer

Wale – 41 years old (1984) – Rapper

Justin Durant – 40 years old (1985) – Football player

Lindsey Stirling – 39 years old (1986) – Violinist and composer

Jimmy Clausen – 38 years old (1987) – Football player

Ryan Guzman – 38 years old (1987) – Actor and model

Ashley Paris – 38 years old (1987) – Basketball player

Courtney Paris – 38 years old (1987) – Basketball player

Doug Baldwin – 37 years old (1988) – Football player

Jason Derulo – 36 years old (1989) – Singer-songwriter

Manny Harris – 36 years old (1989) – Basketball player

Al-Farouq Aminu – 35 years old (1990) – Basketball player

Ivan Dorschner – 35 years old (1990) – American-Filipino model and actor

Allison Scagliotti – 35 years old (1990) – Actress and musician

Christian Serratos – 35 years old (1990) – Actress

Devyn Marble – 33 years old (1992) – Basketball player

Devin Williams – 31 years old (1994) – Baseball player

TODAY IS:

National Chai Day: With its aromatic blend of spices, this hot beverage is the perfect pick-me-up on a chilly day, warming your soul with each sip.
Miniature Golf Day: You don’t have to have good golf form to enjoy putting around on a mini-golf course. Find a local (tiny) putting green and have fun with friends and family.
National Pecan Cookie Day: Impress all your friends and family with one of the tastiest desserts: pecan cookies. Like the old favorite pecan pie, but in a little circular cookie form.
World Gratitude Day: Taking time to appreciate the little things can bring about big joy. Focusing on what you have instead of what you lack cultivates contentment.
National Cat & Dog Gut Health Awareness Day:
Earth, Wind and Fire Appreciation Day:
National Garage Condo Day:
Zero Emissions Day:
World Myositis Day:
National Opioid Awareness Day:
National New York Day:
Escapology Day: Go see a professional escapologist wriggle out of impossible situations, or find a safe, beginner-friendly way to practice escapology yourself and impress your friends.
Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day:
World Alzheimer’s Day: Raise awareness, donate time and money, and support the millions of families affected by the degenerative cognitive disease known as Alzheimer’s.
Student’s Day in Argentina:
International Day of Peace: Since the 1982 ringing of the Peace Bell at the United Nations HQ in New York, the International Day of Peace has been a day to both build and celebrate peace.
Independence Day in Armenia:
International Week of Deaf People: Promoting understanding and inclusion enhances communication, fosters empathy, and empowers those with hearing loss in our communities.
Rtveli:
Sea Otter Awareness Week:
National Eye Health Week:
Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week:
National Older Workers Employment Week:
Fiesta de San Pacho:
National Jeans for Genes Day:
Yom Kippur:
National Surgical Technologists Week:
National Coding Week:
National Indoor Plant Week :
Small Pet Rodent Awareness Week : Embracing a tiny companion, discover joy in caring for a pocket-sized friend, adding warmth to daily life.
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.
World Mitochondrial Disease Week:
Deaf Dog Awareness Week :
National Construction Appreciation Week :
Farm Animal Awareness Week:
World Reflexology Week: Highlighting the benefits of this holistic therapy promotes understanding of its role in enhancing well-being and relaxation.
National Parent Teacher Home Visits Week: Building bridges through educator and family interactions, strengthening support networks to nurture student growth and achievement.
Thinking of You Week: Surprising a loved one with heartfelt words in the mail can uplift spirits and remind them they're cherished beyond measure.
International Week of Happiness at Work: You spend so much time working, it’s important to cultivate happiness there. Take the pledge to make your office life happier for you and those around you.