December 9 - Thomas

Thomas

This Day In History

1531

The Virgin of Guadalupe first appears to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico City.

1793

New York City's first daily newspaper, the American Minerva, is established by Noah Webster.

1851

The first YMCA in North America is established in Montreal, Quebec.

1875

The Massachusetts Rifle Association, "America's Oldest Active Gun Club", is founded.

1888

Statistician Herman Hollerith installs his computing device at the United States War Department.

1958

The John Birch Society is founded in the United States.

1962

The Petrified Forest National Park is established in Arizona.

1965

The Kecksburg UFO incident: a fireball is seen from Michigan to Pennsylvania; witnesses report something crashing in the woods near Pittsburgh. In 2005 NASA admits that it examined the object.

1979

The eradication of the smallpox virus is certified, making smallpox the first and to date only human disease driven to extinction.

2008

The Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is arrested by federal officials for a number of crimes including attempting to sell the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama's election to the Presidency.

Famous Birthdays

1508

Gemma Frisius (born Jemme Reinerszoon), Dutch physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker (d. 1555)

1579

Martin de Porres, Peruvian saint (d. 1639)

1608

John Milton, English poet (d. 1674)

1883

Nikolai Luzin, Russian mathematician (d. 1950)

1906

Grace Hopper, American computer scientist (d. 1992)

1909

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., American actor (d. 2000)

1916

Kirk Douglas, American actor

1928

Dick Van Patten, American actor

1934

Dame Judi Dench, English actress

1952

Michael Dorn, American actor

1953

John Malkovich, American actor
1960
Juan Samuel, Dominican baseball player
1962
Felicity Huffman, American actress
1969
Allison Smith, American actress