Today in History

September 19th1852 – Discovery of the Asteroid MassaliaOn September 19, 1852, Annibale de Gasparis, an Italian astronomer, discovered the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. Massalia, also known as 20 Massalia, was the twentieth asteroid to be identified and is one of the largest in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. De Gasparis’ discovery contributed to the growing understanding of the composition and dynamics of the solar system. The asteroid was named after the ancient Greek name for the city of Marseille, France.




1879 The famous illuminations in Blackpool were switched on for the first time, a month before electricity was generally available in London. The first display was known as 'Artificial sunshine', and consisted of just eight Arc lamps which bathed the Promenade.



1975 The first episode of comedy show Fawlty Towers was broadcast by the BBC.
 

On This Day In History, September 20th

2011 – The official US military policy of "don't ask, don't tell" ends
The policy was instituted by the administration of Bill Clinton in 1994. Under the policy, openly gay personnel were not allowed to serve in the United States military, but they could serve as long as they did not reveal their LGBT status.

2001 – American President, George W. Bush, Declares War on Terror
The global military campaign against terrorism was first declared in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States. The phrase was used by President Bush in a speech given to the United States Congress.

1984 – The Cosby Show Airs for the First Time
The popular television sitcom followed the lives of a Brooklyn-based African-American family called the Huxtables. The show ran for 8 years on NBC and was largely based on the stand-up comedy of Bill Cosby, who played the role of Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable, the father in the show.

1973 – Billie Jean King Wins the Battle of the Sexes
The mixed gender tennis match between top tennis player Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King was held in Houston, Texas, after Riggs won another mixed gender match against Margaret Court earlier in the year. The matches were prompted by Riggs’ comments that even at the age of 55, he could beat any female tennis player. King beat Riggs and took home the $100,000 prize money. The match was and still is one of the most viewed tennis matches on television - it was watched by about 90 million people around the world.

1904 – Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who, with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.
 


Births on the 20th of September 🎂

1984 – Brian Joubert
French figure skater

1975 – Juan Pablo Montoya
Colombian race car driver

1948 – George R. R. Martin
American screenwriter, author

1934 – Sophia Loren
Italian actress

1899 – Leo Strauss
German/American philosopher

Deaths on the 20th of September 🪦

2005 – Simon Wiesenthal
Austrian Holocaust survivor

2004 – Brian Clough
English footballer, manager

1973 – Jim Croce
American singer-songwriter

1933 – Annie Besant
English activist, author

1930 – Gombojab Tsybikov
Russian explorer
 
September 20th


1498
The 1498 Nankai earthquake generates a tsunami that washes away the building housing the statue of the Great Buddha at Kōtoku-in in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan; since then the Buddha has sat in the open air.








1904 – Wilbur Wright Makes the First Circular Flight
Wright, who with his brother Orville, is credited for inventing the first airplane, made a complete circle in 1 minute and 16 seconds on the Wright Flyer II.




1964 The Beatles' first US tour ended with a charity concert in New York.
 

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