Today's Trivia and What Happened on July 9

Which farmer is more likely to become a chemist?

Which farmer is more likely to become a chemist? Close Large View

Farmer C (Pharmacy).

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Quote: My mother's menu consisted of two choices - Take it or leave it. - Buddy Hackett

Quote: My mother's menu consisted of two choices - Take it or leave it. - Buddy Hackett Close Large View

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What Happened On

Toronto Dominion Bank Tower (center) Toronto Dominion Bank Tower (center)
Photo Credit: SimonP

Toronto Dominion Bank Tower (center) Toronto Dominion Bank Tower (center)
Photo Credit: SimonP
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Lawyer Falls to Death Testing Window

July 9, 1993

Canadian Darwin Award winner. Garry Hoy liked to demonstrate the tensile strength of his building's windows by running up against them and bouncing off - A stunt he had performed numerous times. However, on this fateful day, the window glass popped out of the frame and Hoy plummeted to his death from the 24th story of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, earning him a Darwin Award (1996). His unusual death has been featured on the TV shows Myth Busters and 1,000 Ways to Die, and the movie The Darwin Awards.
Hoy, a senior law partner, was described as one of the best and brightest at the firm. The firm closed three years later - Well, if that's your best and brightest…

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Weissmuller in 1924 and later as Tarzan Weissmuller in 1924 and later as Tarzan

Weissmuller in 1924 and later as Tarzan Weissmuller in 1924 and later as Tarzan
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Tarzan's Record-Breaking Swim

July 9, 1922

Future Tarzan portrayer Johnny Weissmuller becomes the first person to swim 100 meters in less than a minute (58.6 seconds).

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Great Train Wreck of 1918

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Great Train Wreck of 1918

July 9, 1918

Two trains collide head on near Nashville, Tennessee, killing 101 people and injuring an additional 171. The two passenger trains had each been traveling at about 50-60 mph. It is considered the worst rail accident in U.S. history and was attributed to operator error.

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First Successful Heart Surgery

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First Successful Heart Surgery

July 9, 1893

African-American doctor Daniel Hale Williams sutures the heart of a stabbing victim at a Chicago hospital. It was performed at Chicago's Provident Hospital, which he founded in 1891 as the first non-segregated hospital in the United States.

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Romanov Family c. 1913 Romanov Family c. 1913

Romanov Family c. 1913 Romanov Family c. 1913
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Russian Revolution

July 9, 1993

British DNA tests confirm that the bodies dug up in 1991 are of Czar Nicholas II, his wife, and three of his five children. They were killed in 1918 during the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. The bodies of his two other children weren't found until 2007.

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Nobelium

July 9, 1957

The discovery is announced. It is element 102 and has an atomic weight of 253.

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First Wimbledon Men's Singles Title

July 9, 1877

The first Wimbledon men's singles title is won by Spencer W. Gore.

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14th Amendment Ratified

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14th Amendment Ratified

July 9, 1868

Defined U.S. citizenship and granted it to those born or naturalized in the U.S. It also stated that the rights of a citizen could not be removed without due process of the Law.

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Canadian Slavery Photo Credit: André Karwath aka Aka

Canadian Slavery Photo Credit: André Karwath aka Aka
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Canadian Slavery

July 9, 1793

Upper Canada passes the Act Against Slavery prohibiting slavery.

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Declaration of Independence

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Declaration of Independence

July 9, 1776

New York votes to accept the U.S. Declaration of Independence, making it unanimous for all 13 colonies.

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Birthdays

O.J. Simpson

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O.J. Simpson (Orenthal James Simpson)

Born July 9, 1947 d. 2024

American football Hall of Fame running back, sportscaster, actor. He was head of the San Francisco street gang "Gladiators" when he was 13. In 1994, he was arrested for and then found not guilty for the murders of his ex-wife and her 25-year-old male friend.

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John Archibald Wheeler Photo Credit: Mysid

John Archibald Wheeler Photo Credit: Mysid
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John Archibald Wheeler

Born July 9, 1911 d. 2008

American theoretical physicist. He popularized the term "Black Hole" (1967, a collapsed star) and coined the term "Wormhole" (1957, a shortcut connecting two separate points in spacetime). Quote: "If you haven't found something strange during the day it hasn't been much of a day."

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Thomas Davenport

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Thomas Davenport

Born July 9, 1802 d. 1851

American inventor. He built the first practical electric motor (1837) which received the first U.S. patent on an electric machine (1837, Patent No. 132). He used silk from his wife's wedding dress for insulation for the wiring. Davenport was unable to capitalize on his invention and died broke.

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Fred Savage

Born July 9, 1976

American actor. TV: The Wonder Years (for which he was youngest person nominated for an Emmy for outstanding leading performer). Film: Austin Powers in Goldmember (2003, Number Three).

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Courtney Love (Courtney Michelle Harrison)

Born July 9, 1964

American rock musician, widow of Kurt Cobain.

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Kelly McGillis

Born July 9, 1957

American actress. Film: Witness (1985) and Top Gun (1986).

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Tom Hanks

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Tom Hanks

Born July 9, 1956

American Oscar-winning actor. Film: Splash (1984), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Big (1988), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Philadelphia (1993, Oscar), Forrest Gump (1994), and Toy Story (1995, Woody). TV: Bosom Buddies (1980-82, cross-dresser Kip/Buffy Wilson).
In 2016, Hanks received a Presidential Medal of Freedom and the French Legion of Honor.

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Jimmy Smits

Born July 9, 1955

American actor. TV: L.A. Law (Victor Sifuentes) and NYPD Blue (Det. Bobby Simone).

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John Tesh

Born July 9, 1952

American entertainer, Emmy-winning composer. TV: Entertainment Tonight (host). Theme Music: Pan American Games (Emmy) and World Track and Field Championships (Emmy).

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Dean Koontz

Born July 9, 1945

American author.

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Richard Roundtree

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Richard Roundtree

Born July 9, 1942 d. 2023

American actor. Film: Shaft (1971, title role) and Earthquake (1974, Miles Quade). TV: Shaft (1973-74, title role).

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James Hampton

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James Hampton

Born July 9, 1936 d. 2021

American actor. TV: F Troop (1965-67, Private Dobbs) and The Doris Day Show (1968-69, Leroy B. Simpson).

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Dr. Oliver Sacks

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Dr. Oliver Sacks

Born July 9, 1933 d. 2015

English physician, author. His book Awakenings (1973), describing his work in the 1960s with sleeping sickness patients, was made into the 1990 movie starring Robin Williams. He himself had prosopagnosia ("face blindness"), which prevented him from recognizing faces - even his own reflection. Writings: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1985).

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Donald Rumsfeld

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Donald Rumsfeld

Born July 9, 1932 d. 2021

U.S. Secretary of Defense (1975-77, 2001-2006), White House Chief of Staff (1974-75), U.S. House of Representatives (Illinois, 1963-69). He holds the distinction of being both the youngest and oldest Secretary of Defense in U.S. history. Quote: "Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

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Ed Ames

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Ed Ames (Edmund Dantes Urick)

Born July 9, 1927 d. 2023

American singer, actor. Ed Ames performed with the Ames Brothers, known for their easy-listening hits. Music: Rag Mop (1950, #1), My Cup Runneth Over (1967), Time, Time (1967), and When the Snow Is on the Roses (1967). TV: Daniel Boone (1964-68, Mingo).

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Sir Edward Heath

Born July 9, 1916 d. 2005

British prime minister (1970-74). An avid yachtsman, he captained Britain's winning team for the Admiral's Cup in 1971.

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Dame Barbara Cartland

Born July 9, 1901 d. 2000

British romance novelist. Her more than 700 books - sometimes written at a rate of one every two weeks - have sold over 750 million copies.

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Elias Howe

Born July 9, 1819 d. 1867

American inventor. Elias Howe patented the first practical sewing machine (1846).

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Deaths

King Camp Gillette

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King Camp Gillette

Died July 9, 1932 b. 1855

American manufacturer. Inventor of the safety razor (1895).

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Zachary Taylor

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Zachary Taylor

Died July 9, 1850 b. 1784

American politician. 12th U.S. President (1849-50). He was the father-in-law of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. He died in office making Vice-President Millard Fillmore president.

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Gilbert Stuart

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Gilbert Stuart

Died July 9, 1828 b. 1755

American artist. His best known work is the unfinished portrait of George Washington (1796) that is used on the $1 bill. His portrait paintings have also been used on U.S. postage stamps. Stuart painted portraits of more than 1,000 people, including the first six U.S. Presidents.
Although Washington's portrait was never completed or delivered to Washington, after Washington's death Gilbert cashed in on Washington's fame by making 130 copies of the painting and selling them for $100 each.

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Edmund Burke

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Edmund Burke

Died July 9, 1797 b. 1729

Irish statesman, philosopher. The famous quote: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing", is generally attributed to him. Although similar ideas are found in his writings, this exact quote is not.
He is widely regarded as the philosophical founder of modern conservatism.
Quote: "The writers against religion, whilst they oppose every system, are wisely careful never to set up any of their own."

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Rip Torn (Elmore Rual Torn)

Died July 9, 2019 b. 1931

American actor, comedian.

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H. Ross Perot

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H. Ross Perot

Died July 9, 2019 b. 1930

American billionaire. He gave George H. W. Bush a run for his money in 1992.

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Sanford (left) with cast members Sherman Hemsley and Mike Evans Sanford (left) with cast members Sherman Hemsley and Mike Evans

Sanford (left) with cast members Sherman Hemsley and Mike Evans Sanford (left) with cast members Sherman Hemsley and Mike Evans
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Isabel Sanford (Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford)

Died July 9, 2004 b. 1917

American Emmy-winning actress. Isabel Sanford was the first African-American actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1981). TV: The Jeffersons (1975-85, Louise "Weezy" Jefferson).

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Rod Steiger

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Rod Steiger

Died July 9, 2002 b. 1925

American Oscar-winning actor. Film: In the Heat of the Night (1967, Oscar) and The Amityville Horror (1979).

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Will Rogers Jr.

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Will Rogers Jr. (William Vann Rogers)

Died July 9, 1993 b. 1911

American actor, son of the famous humorist Will Rogers. U.S. Representative (California 1943-44. He resigned to enlist in the army for WWII). Film: The Story of Will Rogers (1952, in which he played his real-life father).

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Eric Sevareid

Died July 9, 1992 b. 1912

American Emmy-winning broadcast journalist for CBS.

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Earl Warren

Died July 9, 1974 b. 1891

American Chief Justice of the United States. Quote: "It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of one of those liberties which make the defense of our nation worthwhile."

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Arch Ward

Died July 9, 1955 b. 1896

American sports editor for the Chicago Tribune. He originated the idea of major-league all-star baseball (1933) and football games (1934). He also created the Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament.

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Jan van Eyck

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Jan van Eyck

Died July 9, 1441 b. circa 1386

Flemish painter. Works: The Adoration of the Lamb (altarpiece at Ghent Cathedral) and the Arnolfini Marriage Portrait.

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