iPhone

January 9, 2007

Apple's iPhone is unveiled to the public by Steve Jobs at the Macworld convention in San Francisco. It would go on sale in June and retail for between $499 and $599.

Burning of the Jews - The Basel Massacre

January 9, 1349

About 600 Jews, including the community's rabbi, are burned at the stake after being accused of poisoning the wells. Afterwards, 140 Jewish children were forced to convert to Catholicism and Jews were banned from settling in Basel, Switzerland.
As the Black Death was spreading through the Savoy region and the city of Basel, the Jews were accused of poisoning the wells, because many Jews refused to use the city wells. Jews were also accused of causing the plague because they were perceived as having a lower death rate from the plague than non-Jews. The lower death rate was likely due to the cleanliness standards they practiced as part of their religion.
This became known as the Basel Massacre and was part of the larger persecution of the Jews during the Black Death plague which moved across Europe from 1348 to 1351. The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30% to 60% of Europe's population.

Howard Stern Moves to Satellite for $500 Million

January 9, 2006

The shock jock Howard Stern moves his show to Sirius Satellite Radio under a five-year, $500-million agreement.

Iraq War

January 9, 2003

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction: "We know for a fact that there are weapons there." They were, of course, never found.

First X-Rated Film

January 9, 1951

Life After Tomorrow opens in London.

Civil War - Mississippi Secedes

January 9, 1861

Mississippi becomes the 2nd state to secede from the Union.

First Women's Golf Tournament

January 9, 1811

The first women's golf tournament. It was held in Scotland.

First Manned Free-Balloon Flight in North America

January 9, 1793

French balloonist Jean Pierre Blanchard flies a hydrogen balloon to a height of 5,800 feet, traveling 15 miles in his 46-minute flight. The event was watched by U.S. President George Washington.

Connecticut

January 9, 1788

Connecticut becomes the 5th state.

First Dutch Pope

January 9, 1522

Adrian Dedel is elected assuming the name Adrian VI. He was the first and only Dutch Pope.

Shortest NBA Player

Muggsy Bogues (Tyrone Curtis Bogues)

Born January 9, 1965

American basketball player. At 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) tall, he is the shortest player to ever play in the NBA (National Basketball Association). He played 14 seasons, 10 of those with Charlotte Hornets.

Crystal Gayle (Brenda Gayle Webb)

Born January 9, 1951

American Grammy-winning singer, sister of Loretta Lynn. Music: Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue (1977, Grammy), and Talking In Your Sleep (1978, #1).

Bill Cowsill (William Joseph Cowsill, Jr.)

Born January 9, 1948 d. 2006

American singer, member of the singing family The Cowsills (They were the basis for TV's The Partridge Family). Music: The Rain, The Park & Other Things (1967, #2) and the title song for the musical Hair (1969, #2).

Joan Baez

Born January 9, 1941

American singer, social activist. Music: The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down (1972).

Jimmy Boyd

Born January 9, 1939 d. 2009

American singer. Music: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (1952, #1).

Dick Enberg

Born January 9, 1935 d. 2017

American sportscaster, game show host. He was known for his on-air catchphrases "Touch 'em all" (for home runs) and "Oh, my!" TV: Sports Challenge (host) and the cartoon series Where's Huddles? (voice of the sports announcer).

Fernando Lamas

Born January 9, 1915 d. 1982

Argentine actor, the Latin Lover of U.S. films during the 1950s.

Simone de Beauvoir

Born January 9, 1908 d. 1986

French author, feminist. Her book The Second Sex (1949) pioneered post-World War II feminism. She and her lover Jean-Paul Sartre are credited with creating "existentialism."

Chic Young (Murat Bernard Young)

Born January 9, 1901 d. 1973

American cartoonist, creator of Blondie (1930).

Carrie Lane Chapman Catt

Born January 9, 1859 d. 1947

American women's rights leader, founder of the National League of Women Voters (1919). Her efforts contributed greatly to the passing of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

Gregory XV (Alessandro Ludovisi)

Born January 9, 1554 d. 1623

Italian religious leader, 234th Pope (1621-23).

Creator of Raggedy Ann

Johnny Gruelle (John Barton)

Died January 9, 1938 b. 1880

American children's author. Creator of Raggedy Ann (1915) and Raggedy Andy (1922). Gruelle named the doll after two of James Whitcomb Riley poems, "The Raggedy Man" and "Little Orphant Annie".

Bob Saget

Died January 9, 2022 b. 1956

American actor. TV: Full House (1987-95, Danny), How I Met Your Mother (2005-14, voice of narrator), and America's Funniest Home Videos (1989-97, host).

The Lonely Maytag Repairman

Jesse White (Jesse Marc Weidenfeld)

Died January 9, 1997 b. 1917

American actor. Jesse White is best known for his portrayal of "The Lonely Maytag Repairman" in television commercials from 1967 to 1988.
White also played the sanitarium orderly in the 1938 play, the 1950 film, and the 1972 television version of Harvey.

Peter Cook

Died January 9, 1995 b. 1937

English actor, comedian. He is often credited with founding contemporary British satire.

Arthur Lake (Arthur Silverlake)

Died January 9, 1987 b. 1905

American actor. He played Dagwood Bumstead on radio, TV, and the movies.

Edward William Bok

Died January 9, 1930 b. 1863

American Pulitzer-winning author. Books: The Americanization of Edward Bok (1920, Pulitzer). Editor: The Ladies' Home Journal (1889-1919).

Father of American Watchmaking

Aaron Lufkin Dennison

Died January 9, 1895 b. 1812

Father of American watchmaking. He designed the world's first factory-made watches.