On This Day…

Hello. Welcome to your weekend.

Thank you for making us part of your day. September is underway! As we slip into some cooler temps and get the first peeks of our fall favorites (crisp mornings, changing colors, football, and of course-the pumpkins) the reminder that time moves fast is all around us. That’s why we like to slow things down a bit on Saturday mornings with a simple “scroll down memory lane.”

It’s a look back on the events that happened on these dates in the pages of history before you head out into your weekend to make new memories. So, grab your favorite sippin’ drink and let’s scroll!

On this day:

In 1504, Michelangelo’s marble statue of David was unveiled in Florence, Italy.

In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British who later renamed it New York.

In 1900, a Category 4 hurricane ripped through Galveston, Texas, killing an estimated six-to-eight-thousand people.

In 1921, Miss Washington, D.C., 15-year-old Margaret Gorman, won the first-ever Miss America pageant. She received a gold statue of a mermaid as her prize.

In 1930, the “Blondie” comic strip appeared in the comic pages for the first time. Created by cartoonist Chic Young, the strip originally portrayed Blondie as a Jazz Age flapper, and Dagwood as a carefree playboy.

In 1935, Louisiana Senator Huey Long was shot in the corridor of the state Capitol. He died two days later at the age of 42.

In 1945, Bess Myerson became the first Jewish woman to be crowned Miss America. Myerson is the only Jewish woman to win the title to date.

In 1965, Hollywood screen siren Dorothy Dandridge died on this date at the age of 41. Dandridge was the first black actress to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. She was nominated for her work in the movie-musical, “Carmen Jones.”

In 1966, the television show “Star Trek” debuted on NBC. The first season consisted of 29 episodes, and features William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, and DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy.

In 1969, actor and game show host Bud Collyer died at the age of 61. He was the voice of Superman on radio. He was one of the nation’s first major television game show stars.

In 1971, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in Washington, DC.

In 1974, President Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have committed or participated in while in office. Ford explained his action as an attempt to end national divisions created by the Watergate break-in.

In 1981, former NAACP Executive Director Roy Wilkins died on this date at the age of 80. Wilkins served as NAACP Executive director from 1955 to 1977.

In 1985, Cincinnati Red Pete Rose tied Ty Cobb’s career record for hits, with a single for number four-thousand-one-hundred-91.

In 1986, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” was broadcast nationally for the first time.

In 1987, during an interview on ABC’s “Nightline,” former presidential candidate Gary Hart admitted to cheating on his wife. The declaration ended his bid for the White House.

In 1994, USAir Flight 427 crashed while on route to Pittsburgh, killing all 132 people on board.

In 1995, “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmarr,” starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo in drag, opened in theaters nationwide.

In 1997, the comedy-drama, “Ally McBeal,” starring Calista Flockhart, debuted on Fox.

In 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals broke major league baseball’s record for home runs in a single season, hitting number 62 off Chicago Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel.

In 2006, to mark the 40th anniversary of the premiere of the original “Star Trek” TV series, thousands of fans converged in Seattle to begin a three-day conference at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. The Star Trek 40th Anniversary Gala Celebration and Conference included appearances from cast members from the original TV series.

In 2006, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, and Joe Dumars highlighted the list of names that were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Joining them were UConn women’s head coach Geno Auriemma, former Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt and European coach Sandro Gamba.

In 2009, longtime “Daily Variety” gossip columnist Army Archerd died on this date at the age of 80. Archerd wrote upbeat stories about movie stars for the Hollywood trade magazine for more than 50 years.

In 2013, Serena Williams won the 2013 U.S. Open defeating Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 to win her fifth U.S. Open title and 17th grand slam singles trophy.

In 2014, TMZ Sports released a video of Ray Rice punching then-fiance Janay Palmer in the face in an Atlantic City casino. In the video, Palmer is knocked unconscious and then dragged out of an elevator by Rice. Following the release of the video, the NFL suspended the running back indefinitely and the Baltimore Ravens terminated his contract.

In 2015, Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples due to her religious beliefs was released from jail.

In 2015, “Late Show With Stephen Colbert” premiered on CBS. He was the former host of the “Colbert Report” on Comedy Central before trading in his fake political pundit persona for late night. His first guests were George Clooney and Jeb Bush.

In 2018, at the U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese female to win a Grand Slam singles final, beating Serena Williams in controversial match 6-2, 6-4.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96. She was U.K.’s longest-serving monarch having ruled for 70 years.

That brings us here to this day. Whatever plans you have for your own weekend, here’s hoping there are moments along the way to record on the pages of your own personal history books.