Monday, September 16th
- Today in 1630,the Massachusetts village of Shawmutchanged its name to Boston.
- Today in 1810,Mexico issued Grito de Dolores, calling for the end of Spanish rule – this date is now known as Mexican Independence Day.
- Today in 1863,Robert College opened in Istanbul, Turkey. The first American educational institution outside the United States, it was founded by American philanthropist Christopher Robert.
- Today in 1928,a hurricanehit West Palm Beach-Lake Okeechobee Florida. The Okeechobee hurricane, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the recorded history of the North Atlantic basin – and left three-thousand people dead.
- Today in 1940,FDRsigned the Selective Training & Service Act(the first peacetime draft).
- Today in 1955,Play-Dohwas officially introduced.
- Today in 1963,"The Outer Limits"premiered on ABC-TV.
- Today in 1968,Richard Nixon first appeared on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In"to say those immortal words, "Sock it to me!"
- Today in 1972,"The Bob Newhart Show"debuted on CBS-TV.
- Today in 1972,"The Streets Of San Francisco," starring Michael Douglas,debuted on ABC-TV.
- Today in 1974,President Ford announceda conditional amnesty program for Vietnam War deserters and draft-evaders.
- Today in 1977,opera star Maria Callasdied in Paris at the age of 53.
- Today in 1981,Sugar Ray Leonardsecured the world welterweight boxing title with a TKO of Thomas Hearns. The winning punch came in the 14th round.
- Today in 1983,Arnold Schwarzeneggerbecame a U.S. citizen. He had emigrated from Austria 14 years earlier.
- Today in 1983,themost chronic sneezing fit ever recorded ended– that of Pershore, England’s Donna Griffiths. She surpassed the previous duration record of 194 days on July 27th, 1981 (that had been set by 12-year-old American Tricia Ray). In all, Griffiths sneezed an estimated million times in the first 365 days…and achieved her first sneeze-free day on September 16th, 1983 — the 978th day.
- Today in 1984,"Miami Vice”debuted on NBC-TV, starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Crockett and Tubbs became the coolest cops in the history of television – and their look spawned a whole social style.
- Today in 1984,"Punky Brewster," starring Soleil Moon Frye,debuted on NBC-TV.
- Today in 1987,"Wiseguy”debuted on CBS-TV. Ken Wahl starred as undercover agent Vinnie Terranova in this action series.
- Today in 1988,Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Browningpitched the 14th perfect game in Major League history, the first since September 1984.
- Today in 1990,Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan were married. They have one son, Jack (who’s also an actor). The couple separated in June 2000 following her on-set affair with Russell Crowe. The couple finalized their divorce [which gave Meg all her jewelry, shared custody of their son and the family car, a Jeep Cherokee] the following July. Quaidrecently called his relationshipwith Ryan “the most successful of my life.”
- Today in 1993,"Frasier," starring Kelsey Grammer,debuted on NBC.
- Today in 1994,a federal court jury in Anchorage, Alaska,ordered Exxon to pay $5-billion dollarsto the fishermen and natives whose lives were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. It was the second largest assessment for punitive damages ever directed at one company, and the largest ever in a pollution case.
- Today in 1995,after a heated media debate about the “sexist” nature of the swimsuit competition in the Miss America Pageant,a telephone poll found that a large majority of television viewers favored keeping it.
- Today in 1995,wheelchair-bound scientist Stephen Hawking, author of the scientific masterpiece, “A Brief History of Time,”surprised the world when he divorced his wife of 30 yearsand soon after, married his nurse, Elaine Mason. He later divorced her as well.
- Today in 1996,"Judge Judy"debuted in syndication.
- Today in 1998,in his first news conference since the release of the graphic Starr Report, President Clintonsaid he'd told "the essential truth" about his affairwith Monica Lewinsky. When asked whether he might resign, Clinton responded by saying, “Americans want me to go on."
- Today in 1998,House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde responded to a report in an Internet publication, andadmitted to "indiscretions"with a woman back in the 60s at a time when both were married.
- Today in 1998,Meryl Streepreceived a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Today in 2004,NHL commissioner Gary Bettmanannounced a lockout of the players unionand cessation of operations by the NHL head office.
- Today in 2007,OJ Simpsonwas arrested in Las Vegas for his involvementin the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia from a hotel room at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino. He was later convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges – and is serving nine to 33 years in a northern Nevada prison.
- Today in 2010,the 54-year run of the soap opera “As The World Turns”ended as its final episode was aired.
- Today in 2011,Occupy Wall Street movementbegan in New York City’s Zucotti Park.
- Today in 2012,the United States and Japan government officialsagreed to put a second missile defense system in Japan.
- Today in 2013,a shooting rampageat a naval yard in Washington, DC leaves 13 dead, including the gunman. It was the second-deadliest mass murder on a U.S. military base, behind only the2009 Fort Hood shooting.
- Today in 2015,a report published in the journal, "Nature,"shows that three-million people die each year of air pollution, more than malaria and HIV/Aids combined.
- Today in 2015,3-magnitudequake hits off coast of Illapel, Chile killing11 and prompting evacuation of 1-million.
- Today in2018,Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomesset an NFL record of 10 touchdowns in first two-weeks of a season, torching Pittsburgh’s secondary with 6 TD passes; leads Chiefs to 42-37 victory on the road.
- Today in2018,Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaughwas first publicly accused of sexual assault in the 1980s with Christine Blasey Ford’s interviewin "The Washington Post."
- Today in2018,the cycling land speed record for men and womenwas broken by Denise Mueller-Korenek…riding 183.932-mph on Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.