Historical Events on October 9
- 1604: The most recent supernova to have been observed in the Milky Way occurred on this day.
- 1701: The Collegiate School of Connecticut is given its charter in Saybrook, Connecticut. It would later be renamed Yale University.
- 1708: At the Battle of Lesnaya, Swedish forces are defeated by Peter the Great.
- 1760: During the Seven Year’s War, Russian forces occupy the German city of Berlin.
- 1812: During the War of 1812, two British ships – the HMS Caledonia and the HMS Detroit – are captured on Lake Erie by American forces.
- 1824: The practice and business of slavery is abolished in Costa Rica.
- 1847: In St. Barthélemy, the practice of slavery is abolished.
- 1861: Confederate troops are repelled by Union troops as they try to capture Fort Pickens during the American Civil War.
- 1873: The United States Naval Institute is established by the United States Naval Academy.
- 1900: The Cook Islands are made a territory of the U.K.
- 1940: Paul’s Cathedral in London is hit by a bomb after German Luftwaffe conduct a night-time air raid at the Battle of Britain during World War II.
- 1942: After destroying most of the Japanese Army’s 4th Infantry Regiment, U.S Marines withdraw back across the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal during World War II.
- 1966: The Binh Tai Massacre begins.
Famous Birthdays on October 9
- German chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Hermann Emil Fischer is born in 1852.
- Dutch-American author and journalist Edward Bok is born in 1863.
- English singer-songwriter John Lennon is born in 1940.
- American baseball player and coach, Joe Pepitone is born in 1940.
- American lawyer and politician Trent Lott is born in 1941.
- American psychologist and author Douglas Kirby is born in 1943.
- American academic and Nobel Prize laureate Jody Williams is born in 1950.
- English illustrator Simon Drew is born in 1952.
- English TV host and manager Sharon Osbourne is born in 1952.
- American actor Scott Bakula is born in 1954.
- American actor and game show host, John O’Hurley is born in 1954.