What Happened on August 9

Historical Events

  • 48 BC Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and Pompey flees to Egypt.
  • 378 Battle of Adrianople: Goth army defeats Roman forces under Emperor Valens, who is killed
  • 1790 Robert Gray's Columbia Rediviva returns to Boston after 3 year journey, 1st American ship to circumnavigate the Globe

Aug 9 in Film & TV

  • 1930 Animated character Betty Boop debuts in Max Fleischer's cartoon "Dizzy Dishes"
  • 1997 "Just to See You Smile" single released by Tim McGraw (Billboard Song of the Year 1998)

Aug 9 in Sport

  • 1900 1st International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Boston, MA: Dwight Davis & Holcombe Ward beat Ernest Black & Herbert Roper Barrett 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to give US an unassailable 3-0 lead over British Isles
  • 2012 Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt wins the 200m at the London Olympics in 19.32 to become first to win 100/200m double in back-to-back Olympics

Did You Know?

Opening of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican

On August 9, 1483

Would You Believe?

Longest ever hunger strike ends, Indian human rights campaigner Irom Sharmila tastes honey after 16 years

On August 9, 2016

Famous Weddings

  • 1832 King Leopold I of Belgium marries Louisa Maria
  • 1949 Film and stage actor Jimmy Stewart (41) weds former model Gloria Hatrick McLean (31) at the Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles
  • 1958 American actor Robert Redford (21) weds Lola Van Wagenen (20) in Las Vegas, Nevada; divorce in 1985

Famous Divorces

  • 1922 Actress Gloria Swanson (23) divorces businessman Herbert K. Somborn after almost 3 years of marriage
  • 1955 Actress Elizabeth Montgomery (22) divorces socialite Frederick Gallatin Cammann after more than a year of marriage
  • 1993 American pop singer Lionel Richie (44) divorces Brenda Harvey, after nearly 18 years of marriage

More Weddings & Divorces