This Date in History - September 30

Happy birthday, Angie Dickinson.  Why do I think she doesn't exactly look like this picture any more?  Because I saw her at a screening...pre-COVID, of course.

737:  BATTLE OF THE BAGGAGE - TURGESH DRIVE BACK AN UMAYYAD INVASION OF KHUTTAL AND CAPTURE THEIR BAGGAGE TRAIN.

The smart money is on the garment bag.

1541:  SPANISH CONQUISTADOR HERNANDO DE SOTO AND HIS FORCES ENTER TULA, WHICH IS PRESENT-DAY WESTERN ARKANSAS.

So Bill Clinton used to be governor of Tula?

1791:  THE NATIONAL CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IN PARIS IS DISSOLVED.

Like an Alka Seltzer tablet.

1860:  BRITAIN'S FIRST TRAM SERVICE BEGINS IN BIRKENHEAD, MERSEYSIDE.

Lord have mersey.

1882:  THOMAS EDISON'S FIRST COMMERCIAL HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT BEGINS OPERATION IN WISCONSIN.  

This guy did it all.

1888:  JACK THE RIPPER KILLS HIS THIRD AND FOURTH VICTIMS.

On the same day.  Must have been a day/night doubleheader.

1903:  THE NEW GRESHAM SCHOOL IS OPENED BY SIR EVELYN WOOD.

How fast did you read that last line?

1921:  ACTRESS DEBORAH KERR IS BORN.

She died in 2007.  So, from here to eternity.

1924:  AUTHOR TRUMAN CAPOTE IS BORN.

Then his blood was warm.

1927:   BABE RUTH BECOMES THE FIRST BASEBALL PLAYER TO HIT 60 HOME RUNS IN ONE SEASON.

Steroids!  Steroids!!

1931:  ACTRESS ANGIE DICKINSON IS BORN.

Don't you really want to know what she was doing in that JFK White House?

1932:  BASEBALL STAR JOHNNY PODRES IS BORN.

Pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to their first World Series win in 1955.

1935:  THE HOOVER DAM IS DEDICATED.

Dedicated to...holding back water.

1935:  SINGER JOHNNY MATHIS IS BORN.

My writing partner had a whole conversation with him in the super market.  A nice guy.

1938:  THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNANIMOUSLY OUTLAWS "INTENTIONAL BOMBINGS OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS."

What?  No ruling about the designated hitter?

1939:  NBC BROADCASTS THE FIRST TELEVISED AMERICAN FOOTBALL GAME BETWEEN THE WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS AND THE FORDHAM RAMS, WHO WON.

Wait???  My alma mater of Fordham???  How cool???  And they won??????!!!

1947:  PAKISTAN AND YEMEN JOIN THE UNITED NATIONS.

Make sure their dues checks don't bounce.

1947:  THE WORLD SERIES BETWEEN THE NY YANKEES AND THE BROOKLYN DODGERS IS TELEVISED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Except my team won't win until...well, see above reference for Johnny Podres.

1954:  ACTOR BARRY WILLIAMS IS BORN.

Oh, Greg.

1955:  ACTOR JAMES DEAN DIES IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT.

This guy's career would have been phenomenal.

1962:  MEXICAN-AMERICAN LABOR LEADER CESAR CHAVEZ FOUNDS THE GROUP WHICH WOULD LATER BECOME THE UNITED FARM WORKERS.

Cesar, I love your ravine.

1962:  JAMES MEREDITH ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, DEFYING SEGREGATION.

First stop: the book store.

1965:  THE PILOT EPISODE OF THUNDERBIRDS AIRS IN ENGLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME.

A show about marionette pilots.  My writing partner's favorite show when he was a kid.

1968:  THE BOEING 747 IS ROLLED OUT AND SHOWN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Oooh.  Aaah.

1972:  ROBERTO CLEMENTED RECORDS THE 3,000TH AND FINAL HIT OF HIS CAREER.

Off the Mets' Jon Matlack if I am not mistaken.

1982:  CYANIDE-LACED TYLENOL KILLS SEVEN PEOPLE IN CHICAGO.

Must have been the Extra Strength.

1977:  SINGER MARY FORD DIES.

Attached to that Les Paul guitar guy.

1978:  ACTOR EDGAR BERGEN DIES.

Eulogy by Charlie McCarthy.

1996:  THE US CONGRESS PASSES AN AMENDMENT THAT BANS THE POSSESSION OF FIREARMS FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Duh.

1998:  BASEBALL PITCHER DAN QUISENBERRY DIES.

Any comment from Count Chocula?

2017:  TV HOST MONTY HALL DIES.

Should have taken Door #2.

Dinner last night:  Leftover barbecued chicken.