August 9
| August 9 in recent years |
| 2010 (Monday) |
| 2009 (Sunday) |
| 2008 (Saturday) |
| 2007 (Thursday) |
| 2006 (Wednesday) |
| 2005 (Tuesday) |
| 2004 (Monday) |
| 2003 (Saturday) |
| 2002 (Friday) |
| 2001 (Thursday) |
| 2000 (Wednesday) |
August 9 is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 144 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
- 48 BC – Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus – Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and Pompey flees to Egypt.
- 378 – Gothic War: Battle of Adrianople – A large Roman army led by Emperor Valens is defeated by the Visigoths in present-day Turkey. Valens is killed along with over half of his army.
- 681 – Bulgaria is founded as a Khanate on the south bank of the Danube after defeating the Byzantine armies of Emperor Constantine IV south of the Danube delta.
- 1173 – Construction of the campanile of the cathedral of Pisa (now known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa) begins; it will take two centuries to complete.
- 1329 – Quilon, the first Indian Christian Diocese, is erected by Pope John XXII; the French-born Jordanus is appointed the first Bishop.
- 1483 – Opening of the Sistine Chapel in Rome with the celebration of a Mass.
- 1810 – Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.
- 1814 – Indian Wars: the Creek sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson, giving up huge parts of Alabama and Georgia.
- 1842 – The Webster-Ashburton Treaty is signed, establishing the United States-Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.
- 1854 – Henry David Thoreau published Walden.
- 1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Cedar Mountain – At Cedar Mountain, Virginia, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson narrowly defeats Union forces under General John Pope.
- 1877 – Indian Wars: Battle of Big Hole – A small band of Nez Percé Indians clash with the United States Army.
- 1892 – Thomas Edison receives a patent for a two-way telegraph.
- 1902 – Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark are crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
- 1907 – The first Boy Scout encampment concludes at Brownsea Island in southern England.
- 1925 – A train robbery takes place in Kakori, near Lucknow, India
- 1936 – Summer Olympic Games: Games of the XI Olympiad – Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal at the games becoming the first American to win four medals in one Olympiad.
- 1942 – Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in Bombay by British forces, launching the Quit India Movement.
- 1942 – World War II: Battle of Savo Island – Allied naval forces protecting their amphibious forces during the initial stages of the Battle of Guadalcanal are surprised and defeated by an Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser force.
- 1944 – The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.
- 1944 – Continuation war: The Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive, the largest offensive launched by Soviet Union against Finland during the Second World War, ends to a strategic stalemate. Both Finnish and Soviet troops at the Finnish front dug to defensive positions, and the front remains stable until the end of the war.
- 1945 – World War II: Nagasaki is devastated when an atomic bomb, Fat Man, is dropped by the United States B-29 Bockscar. 39,000 people are killed outright.
- 1965 – Singapore is expelled from Malaysia and becomes the first and only country to date to gain independence unwillingly.
- 1965 – A fire at a Titan missile base near Searcy, Arkansas kills 53 construction workers.
- 1969 – Members of a cult led by Charles Manson brutally murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent.
- 1971 – Internment in Northern Ireland: British security forces arrest hundreds of nationalists and detain them without trial in Long Kesh prison. Twenty people die in the riots that follow.
- 1974 – As a direct result of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon becomes the first President of the United States to resign from office. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, becomes president.
- 1977 – The military-controlled Government of Uruguay announces that it will return the nation to civilian rule through general elections in 1981 for a President and Congress.
- 1988 – Wayne Gretzky is traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in one of the most controversial player transactions in ice hockey history, upsetting many Canadians so much that some considered him a "traitor" to his home country.
- 1993 – The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan loses a 38-year hold on national leadership.
- 1999 – Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his Prime Minister, Sergei Stepashin, and for the fourth time fires his entire cabinet.
- 1999 – The Diet of Japan enacts a law establishing the Hinomaru and Kimi Ga Yo as the official national flag and national anthem.
- 2001 – US President George W. Bush announces his support for federal funding of limited research on embryonic stem cells.
Births
- 232 – Probus, Roman emperor (d. 282)
- 1201 – Arnold Fitz Thedmar, English chronicler (d. 1274)
- 1537 – Francesco Barozzi, Italian mathematician, astronomer and humanist (d. 1604)
- 1544 – Bogislaw XIII, Duke of Pomerania (d. 1606)
- 1593 – Izaak Walton, English angler (d. 1683)
- 1603 – Johannes Cocceius, German-born Dutch theologian (d. 1669)
- 1631 – John Dryden, English Poet Laureate (d. 1700)
- 1648 – Johann Michael Bach, German composer (d. 1694)
- 1653 – John Oldham, English poet (d. 1683)
- 1669 – Tsarina Eudoxia Lopukhina of Russia (d. 1731)
- 1674 – František Maxmilián Kaňka, Czech architect (d. 1766)
- 1696 – Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein (d. 1772)
- 1722 – Augustus William, Prince of Prussia (d. 1758)
- 1726 – Francesco Cetti, Italian Jesuit scientist (d. 1778)
- 1754 – Pierre Charles L'Enfant, French architect (d. 1825)
- 1757 – Thomas Telford, Scottish civil engineer (d. 1834)
- 1776 – Amedeo Avogadro, Italian chemist (d. 1856)
- 1783 – Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1801)
- 1788 – Adoniram Judson, American Baptist missionary (d. 1850)
- 1797 – Charles Robert Malden, British naval officer (d. 1855)
- 1805 – Joseph Locke, English railway and civil engineer (d. 1860)
- 1809 – William Barret Travis, American lieutenant colonel in the Battle of the Alamo (d. 1836)
- 1845 – André Bessette, Canadian religious figure (d. 1937)
- 1847 – Queen Maria Victoria al Pozzo della Cisterna of Spain (d. 1876)
- 1867 – Evelina Haverfield British suffragette (d. 1920)
- 1871 – Leonid Andreyev, Russian writer (d. 1919)
- 1872 – Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Austrian field marshal (d. 1962)
- 1874 – Reynaldo Hahn, Venezuelan composer and conductor (d. 1947)
- 1875 – Albert Ketèlbey, English conductor, composer, and pianist (d. 1959)
- 1896 – Erich Hückel, German physicist (d. 1980)
- 1896 – Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (d. 1980)
- 1899 – P. L. Travers, Australian author (d. 1996)
- 1901 – Charles Farrell, American actor (d. 1990)
- 1902 – Zino Francescatti, French violinist (d. 1991)
- 1909 – V. K. Gokak, Indian Kannada writer (d. 1992)
- 1909 – Adam von Trott zu Solz, German diplomat (d. 1944)
- 1911 – William Alfred Fowler, American physicist, Nobel Laureate (d. 1996)
- 1911 – Eddie Futch, American boxing trainer (d. 2001)
- 1914 – Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (d. 1963)
- 1914 – Tove Jansson, Finnish author (Moomins) (d. 2001)
- 1914 – Joe Mercer, English footballer (d. 1990)
- 1919 – Joop den Uyl, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1987)
- 1919 – Ralph Houk, American baseball player and manager (d. 2010)
- 1920 – Enzo Biagi, Italian journalist and writer (d. 2007)
- 1921 – Ernest Angley, American televangelist
- 1921 – J. James Exon, American politician (d. 2005)
- 1922 – Philip Larkin, English poet (d. 1985)
- 1925 – David A. Huffman, American computer scientist, creator of Huffman coding (d. 1999)
- 1927 – Daniel Keyes, American author
- 1927 – Marvin Minsky, American computer scientist , Turing Award winner (Artificial Intelligence)
- 1927 – Robert Shaw, English actor (d. 1978)
- 1928 – Bob Cousy, American basketball player
- 1930 – Jacques Parizeau, Quebec economist and politician
- 1931 – Chuck Essegian, American baseball player
- 1931 – Mário Zagallo, Brazilian football coach and player
- 1932 – John Gomery, Canadian jurist
- 1933 – Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Japanese television personality and children's author
- 1935 – Beverlee McKinsey, American actress (d. 2008)
- 1936 – Julián Javier, American baseball player
- 1936 – Patrick Tse Yin, Hong Kong film director
- 1938 – Leonid Kuchma, Ukrainian politician
- 1938 – Rod Laver, Australian tennis player
- 1938 – Otto Rehhagel, German football manager
- 1939 – Brito, Brazilian footballer
- 1939 – Romano Prodi, Italian politician, Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European Commission
- 1941 – Way Bandy, American make-up artist (d. 1986)
- 1942 – Tommie Agee, American baseball player (d. 2001)
- 1942 – David Steinberg, Canadian comedian
- 1943 – Ken Norton, American boxer
- 1944 – Sam Elliott, American actor
- 1945 – Posy Simmonds, English cartoonist
- 1946 – Jim Kiick, American football player
- 1947 – Roy Hodgson, English football manager
- 1947 – Barbara Mason, American soul singer
- 1948 – Bill Campbell, American baseball player
- 1949 – Jonathan Kellerman, American writer
- 1952 – Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, Thai politician
- 1954 – Ray Jennings, South African cricketer and coach
- 1955 – Peter Schmuck, American sportswriter
- 1955 – John E. Sweeney, American politician
- 1957 – Melanie Griffith, American actress
- 1958 – Amanda Bearse, American actress
- 1958 – James Lileks, American columnist
- 1959 – Kurtis Blow, American rapper
- 1959 – Stuart Hughes, Canadian actor
- 1961 – Brad Gilbert, American tennis player
- 1961 – John Key, 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand
- 1961 – Amy Stiller, American actress
- 1962 – Kevin Mack, American football player
- 1962 – Louis Lipps, American football player
- 1962 – John "Hot Rod" Williams, American basketball player
- 1963 – Whitney Houston, American singer and actress
- 1964 – Brett Hull, Canadian-born American ice hockey player
- 1964 – Hoda Kotb, American television news anchor
- 1966 – Vinny Del Negro, American basketball player and head coach
- 1967 – Deion Sanders, American football player
- 1968 – Gillian Anderson, American actress
- 1968 – Eric Bana, Australian actor
- 1968 – Sam Fogarino, American drummer (Interpol)
- 1968 – Joseph McGinty Nichol, American film producer and director
- 1969 – Divine Brown, American sex worker and convicted felon
- 1969 – Smaragda Karydi, Greek singer
- 1969 – Troy Percival, American baseball player
- 1970 – Rod Brind'Amour, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1970 – Chris Cuomo, American TV journalist
- 1970 – Thomas Lennon, American actor
- 1970 – Arion Salazar, American bassist (Third Eye Blind)
- 1971 – James Kim, American technology reporter (d. 2006)
- 1971 – Davide Rebellin, Italian cyclist
- 1971 – Mack 10, American rapper
- 1972 – Juanes, Colombian singer
- 1972 – A-Mei, Taiwanese singer
- 1973 – Kevin McKidd, Scottish actor
- 1973 – Filippo Inzaghi, Italian footballer
- 1974 – Mahesh Babu, Indian film actor
- 1974 – Derek Fisher, American basketball player
- 1974 – Matt Morris, American baseball player
- 1974 – Kirill Reznik, American politician
- 1974 – Nicola Stapleton, English actress
- 1974 – Stephen Fung, Hong Kong actor and director
- 1975 – Mike Lamb, American baseball player
- 1975 – Robbie Middleby, Australian footballer
- 1975 – Mahesh Babu, Actor, Indian Telugu Cinema
- 1976 – Jessica Capshaw, American actress
- 1976 – Aled Jones, British Radio Producer
- 1976 – Rhona Mitra, English actress
- 1976 – Mark Priestley, Australian actor (d. 2008)
- 1977 – Jason Frasor, American baseball player
- 1977 – Chamique Holdsclaw, American basketball player
- 1977 – Adewale Ogunleye, American football player
- 1977 – Mikaël Silvestre, French footballer
- 1978 – Audrey Tautou, French actress
- 1980 – Ryu Seung-beom, South Korean actor
- 1980 – Dominic Tabuna, Nauruan politician
- 1981 – Jarvis Hayes, American basketball player
- 1981 – Li Jiawei, Singaporean table tennis player
- 1982 – Tyson Gay, American sprinter
- 1982 – Kanstantsin Siutsou, Belorussian cyclist
- 1983 – Ashley Johnson, American actress
- 1983 – Shane O'Brien, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1984 – Paul Gallagher, Scottish footballer
- 1985 – Luca Filippi, Italian racing driver
- 1985 – Anna Kendrick, American actress
- 1985 – Hayley Peirsol, American swimmer
- 1985 – JaMarcus Russell, American football player
- 1986 – Daniel Preussner, German rugby player
- 1989 – Stefano Okaka Chuka, Italian footballer
- 1989 – Jason Heyward, American baseball player
- 1990 – Adelaide Kane, Australian actress
- 1991 – Candela Vetrano, Argentine actress
- 1991 – Hansika Motwani, Indian actress
Deaths
- 117 – Trajan, Roman Emperor (b. 53)
- 378 – Valens, Roman Emperor (killed in battle) (b. 328)
- 803 – Irene of Athens, Byzantine Empress (b. 752)
- 1048 – Pope Damasus II (birth year unknown)
- 1107 – Emperor Horikawa of Japan (b. 1079)
- 1173 – Najm ad-Din Ayyub, Kurdish soldier and politician, father of Saladin (birth year unknown)
- 1250 – King Eric IV of Denmark (b. 1216)
- 1534 – Cardinal Cajetan, Italian theologian (b. 1470)
- 1601 – Michael the Brave, Prince of Wallachia (b. 1558)
- 1634 – William Noy, English jurist (b. 1577)
- 1720 – Simon Ockley, English orientalist (b. 1678)
- 1744 – James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, English patron of the arts (b. 1673)
- 1816 – Johann August Apel, German jurist and writer (b. 1771)
- 1837 – Xavier Sigalon, French painter (b. 1787)
- 1886 – Samuel Ferguson, Northern Irish poet and artist (b. 1810)
- 1910 – Huo Yuan Jia, Chinese martial artist (b. 1868)
- 1919 – Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (b. 1857)
- 1942 – Edith Stein, German philosopher and nun (executed) (b. 1891)
- 1945 – Harry Hillman, American runner (b. 1881)
- 1945 – Robert Hampton Gray, last Canadian Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1917)
- 1946 – Bert Vogler, South African cricketer (b. 1876)
- 1949 – Edward Thorndike, American psychologist (b. 1874)
- 1957 – Carl Clauberg, German Nazi doctor (b. 1898)
- 1962 – Hermann Hesse, German-born Swiss writer, Nobel Laureate (b. 1877)
- 1967 – Joe Orton, English writer (b. 1933)
- 1969 – Cecil Frank Powell, British physicist, Nobel Laureate (b. 1903)
- 1969 – Abigail Folger, American heiress (murdered) (b. 1943)
- 1969 – Wojciech Frykowski, Polish writer (murdered) (b. 1936)
- 1969 – Jay Sebring, American hair stylist (murdered) (b. 1933)
- 1969 – Sharon Tate, American actress (murdered) (b. 1943)
- 1969 – Steven Parent, American student (murdered) (b. 1951)
- 1974 – Bill Chase, American trumpet player and bandleader (b. 1934)
- 1975 – Dmitri Shostakovich, Russian composer (b. 1906)
- 1979 – Walter O'Malley, American baseball executive (b. 1903)
- 1979 – Raymond Washington, American gang leader, founder the Crips (b. 1953)
- 1980 – Jacqueline Cochran, American aviatrix (b. 1906)
- 1985 – Clive Churchill, Australian rugby league footballer (b. 1927)
- 1988 – Giacinto Scelsi, Italian composer (b. 1905)
- 1988 – Ramón Valdés, Mexican actor (b. 1923)
- 1990 – Joe Mercer, English footballer (b. 1914)
- 1992 – Fereydoun Farrokhzad, Iranian singer (b. 1938)
- 1995 – Jerry Garcia, American guitarist (Grateful Dead) (b. 1942)
- 1996 – Sir Frank Whittle, British engineer and inventor of the jet engine (b. 1907)
- 1999 – Fouad Serageddin, Egyptian politician (b. 1910)
- 2000 – John Harsanyi, Hungarian-born American economist, Nobel Laureate (b. 1920)
- 2000 – Nicholas Markowitz, American teenager kidnapped and murdered by Jesse James Hollywood (b. 1984)
- 2002 – Paul Samson, British guitarist (Samson) (b. 1953)
- 2002 – Peter Neville, British anarchist, sociologist and peace activist (birth year unknown)
- 2003 – Ray Harford, English footballer and manager (b. 1945)
- 2003 – Gregory Hines, American actor and dancer (b. 1946)
- 2003 – Jacques Deray, French film director (b. 1929)
- 2003 – Chester Ludgin, American baritone (b. 1925)
- 2004 – Robert Lecourt, French politician, President of the European Court of Justice (b. 1908)
- 2004 – Tony Mottola, American guitarist (b. 1918)
- 2004 – David Raksin, American film composer (b. 1912)
- 2005 – Matthew McGrory, American actor (b. 1973)
- 2005 – Judith Rossner, American novelist (b. 1935)
- 2006 – James van Allen, American physicist (b. 1914)
- 2006 – Philip E. High, science fiction author (b. 1914)
- 2007 – Joe O'Donnell, American documentary photographer and photojournalist (b. 1922)
- 2008 – Bernie Mac, American comedian (b. 1957)
- 2008 – Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian poet and writer (b. 1941)
- 2010 – Ted Stevens, former U.S. Senator (b. 1923)
Holidays and observances
External links