Today's Puzzle
Why is a man looking for the philosopher's stone like Neptune?
What Happened On
Richard Pryor Sets Himself on Fire
June 9, 1980
The award-winning comedian Richard Pryor pours 151-proof rum on himself and lights himself on fire while on a freebasing binge. He then ran down the street ablaze until subdued by police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for second and third degree burns covering more than half of his body. He incorporated this incident into his comedy show Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982), which won a Grammy for best comedy recording.
left to right: Wyman, Richards, Jones, Watts, and Jagger
left to right: Wyman, Richards, Jones, Watts, and Jagger
Rolling Stones Founder Leaves the Band
June 9, 1969
Brian Jones announces that he is leaving the band he formed. Less than a month later, Jones would die by drowning in the swimming pool at his home. He was removed from the band after drug and alcohol problems had made him increasingly less reliable in the studio.
Jones had formed the Rolling Stones in 1962 after he placed an advertisement in the May 2nd edition of Jazz News inviting musicians to audition for a new R&B group. The first to join was pianist Ian Stewart, soon followed by Mick Jagger and Jagger's childhood friend Keith Richards. Their first rehearsal included guitarist Geoff Bradford and vocalist Brian Knight, both of whom decided not to join the band because they objected to playing the Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley songs preferred by Jagger and Richards.
The group later added Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman.
Donald Duck
June 9, 1934
The cartoon character Donald Duck makes his film debut with the official release of The Wise Little Hen. This is the date Disney uses as his birthday; however, his birthday was given in the cartoon Donald's Happy Birthday (1949) as March 13th.
Charles Kingsford Smith and the Southern Cross
Charles Kingsford Smith and the Southern Cross
First Transpacific Flight
June 9, 1928
Charles Kingsford Smith and his four-man crew arrive in Australia. They had departed from Oakland, California on May 31. They flew a Fokker F.VII/3m monoplane, which they named the Southern Cross.
Kingsford Smith also made the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland, the first flights between Australia and New Zealand, and the first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States.
Pepsi Syringe Hoax
June 9, 1993
A hypodermic needle is found in a Pepsi can in Tacoma, Washington prompting hundreds of reported similar incidents, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. In 1993, a 25-year-old Pennsylvania man was sentenced to a year in prison after he became the first person charged in the hoax.
First U.S. Ballistic-Missile Submarine
June 9, 1959
The USS George Washington (SSBN-598) is launched. It made its first test strike a year later, using a Polaris missile to strike a target 1,100 nautical miles (1266 miles, 2037 kilometers) away.
Income Tax Withholding
June 9, 1943
Income tax withholding law is signed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, requiring employers to collect taxes from their employees as they are paid.
Hong Kong
June 9, 1898
China leases the land to Great Britain for 99 years.
Mormon Handcart Train
Mormon Handcart Train
Mormon Handcart Pioneers
June 9, 1856
The first group of Mormon handcart pioneers depart from Iowa City, Iowa. They carried their possessions in wooden handcarts across the 1300-mile trek arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah in September.
Catholic Church in America
June 9, 1784
Organization of the Catholic Church in America begins when Father John Carroll is appointed superior of the American missions.
Birthdays
Johnny Depp
Born June 9, 1963
American actor. Film: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Benny and Joon (1993), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-17), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010). TV: 21 Jump Street (1987-90, Tom Hanson).
McNamara and Pres. Kennedy
McNamara and Pres. Kennedy
Robert S. McNamara
Born June 9, 1916 d. 2009
American banker. U.S. Secretary of Defense (1961-68) and World Bank president (1968-81). He played a major role in escalating the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
He was part of the "Whiz Kids" team that helped rebuild Ford Motor Co., becoming the first president of Ford that was not from the Ford family (1960). As president of Ford, he pushed for smaller cars and more safety features.
Les Paul and wife Mary Ford
Les Paul and wife Mary Ford
Father of the Electric Guitar
Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss)
Born June 9, 1915 d. 2009
American guitarist. He invented the solid-body electric guitar (1941), the first 8-track recording device, sound-on-sound recording, and the solid-body neck-worn harmonica holder, which allows hands-free playing of the harmonica.
Music: Tiger Rag and Vaya con Dios (#1).
Johann Gottfried Galle
Born June 9, 1812 d. 1910
German astronomer. He discovered the planet Neptune (1846) using calculations made by Urbain Le Verrier the previous year.
There's No Place Like Home
John Howard Payne
Born June 9, 1791 d. 1852
American songwriter. Music: Home, Sweet Home (1822), with the lyrics "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."
Michael J. Fox
Born June 9, 1961
Canadian-American Emmy-Grammy-winning actor. Film: Back to the Future (1985) and Teen Wolf (1985). TV: Family Ties (1982-89, Alex Keaton) and Spin City (1996-2000, Mike Flaherty).
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 at age 29. He has since become an advocate for finding a cure for the disease.
Jackie Mason (Yacov Moshe Maza)
Born June 9, 1931 d. 2021
American Emmy-winning comedian. TV: The Ed Sullivan Show (1961-68, frequent guest), Chicken Soup (1989), and The Simpsons (1991-2019, Rabbi Hyman Krustofski).
Bob Cummings
Born June 9, 1910 d. 1990
American Emmy-winning actor. Film: Dial M for Murder (1954). TV: The Bob Cummings Show (1955-59), and 12 Angry Men (1954, Emmy).
Cole Porter
Born June 9, 1891 d. 1964
American composer, one of the greatest songwriters of the century. Music: I'm In Love Again (1924), Kiss Me Kate, I Love Paris, and Night and Day.
George Stephenson
Born June 9, 1781 d. 1848
English engineer, developer of the railroad steam locomotive.
Deaths
West (right) as Batman with Burt Ward as Robin
Adam West (William West Anderson)
Died June 9, 2017 b. 1928
American actor. TV: Batman (1966-68, Bruce Wayne) and Family Guy (2000-2017, voice of mayor Adam West). Film: Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964, Major Dan McCready).
Carrie Nation
Died June 9, 1911 b. 1846
American prohibitionist. She was known for attacking saloons with a hatchet. She described herself as "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn't like."
Charles Dickens
Died June 9, 1870 b. 1812
English author. Writings: Oliver Twist (1837-39), A Christmas Carol (1843), David Copperfield (1849-50), and A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Nero Claudius Caesar
Died June 9, A.D. 68 b. A.D. 37
Emperor of Rome (AD 54-68). He was the first emperor to persecute Christians on a large scale, and is said to be responsible for the deaths of Peter and Paul.
Legend has it Nero, an unpopular ruler, fiddled as Rome burned (although the fiddle wasn't invented until over a thousand years later, they did have other stringed instruments). The legend was probably started as a way to express how ineffectual a leader Nero was by showing he did nothing as his people suffered. There were other accounts that he sang about the destruction of Troy while watching the city burn; however, these are probably not true either.
Nero used the land cleared by the fire to build his Golden Palace and its surrounding gardens. This sparked rumors that he had the fire deliberately set for this purpose.
Believing that the Senate was going to execute him, he had his private secretary kill him.
Alexis Smith
Died June 9, 1993 b. 1921
Canadian-born Tony-winning actress. Stage: Follies (1971, Tony). TV: Dallas (Jessica Montford).
Allen Ludden
Died June 9, 1981 b. 1917
American game show host. TV: Password (1961-80).
Robert Donat
Died June 9, 1958 b. 1905
English Oscar-winning actor. Film: The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The 39 Steps (1935, Richard Hannay), and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939, Oscar, title role).
Victoria Claflin Woodhull
Died June 9, 1927 b. 1838
American politician. She was the first woman nominated for U.S. President - by the Equal Rights Party in 1872 with Frederick Douglass as her running mate.