September 20th was the day in history when…
1973: Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes.” Riggs was the professional tennis world champion in 1939. By the 1950’s he was at the end of his career. Riggs enjoyed keeping himself in the spotlight by making inflammatory comments, particularly about women athletes. In 1973 he challenged Billie Jean King, the female champion at the time, to a match. Riggs boasted that there was no way he could be beaten by a woman. The older man tried to finesse the ball with drops and spins, but the much younger King was able to return shots and wear him down with her consistency. King won in three straight sets. After the match, Riggs was quoted as saying, “She was too good, too fast. She returned all my passing shots and made great plays off them.”
1932: Gandhi began a hunger strike against treatment of untouchables. Gandhi was the leader of India’s independence movement using civil disobedience. He led protests against discrimination and poor living conditions. On this date, Gandhi began a six day hunger strike against a new constitution for the country’s untouchables, or underclass. His protest was successful because the public outcry he sparked forced the government to pass a more equitable plan.
1904: Orville and Wilbur Wright flew in a circle in their Flyer II. The Wright brothers are widely considered to be the inventors of the first airplane, although some contest this claim. On this date, Wilbur flew the first complete circle by a motorized heavier-than-air craft, covering a distance of 4,080 feet in a minute and a half.
Famous Birthdays:
1964: Crispin Glover- actor
1956: Gary Cole- actor
1934: Sophia Loren- actress
1928: Joyce Brothers- pop psychiatrist
Notable People Lost:
2003: Stanley Fafara- child actor, Leave it to Beaver
1973: Jim Croce- vocalist
1960: Lee Duncan- owner/trainer (Rin Tin Tin)
1863: Jakob Grimm- writer, part of The Brothers Grimm, Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Odd Holidays (There’s Always Something to Celebrate!):
International Student Day
International Student Day
World’s Largest Chicken Dance
National Punch Day
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